


Echoes (Of The Past)

by CoffeeAddict80



Series: Reflections [2]
Category: Glee
Genre: Biting, Dalton Academy, Dom/sub Undertones, Gratuitous Smut, High School, Hybrids, M/M, Magic, Soulmates, Warlocks, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-04 09:20:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 106,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17301992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoffeeAddict80/pseuds/CoffeeAddict80
Summary: Dalton’s winter break is here. Now, Kurt and Blaine are splitting their time between Lima and Westerville - all while dealing with a visit from Blaine’s brother, Cooper, a full moon, a suspicious Rachel Berry, and Christmas Dinner with Kurt’s grandparents. Along the way, they learn more about Kurt, his abilities, and what made the all-white werewolves so unique.**This is the sequel to the story “Mirrors”.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this story is fully drafted. new chapters will post every tuesday & friday.

“I can’t believe I forgot about winter break!” Kurt complained to Blaine, as he slammed his locker shut then stormed off toward the parking lot.

“You seem angry about this,” Blaine replied, cautiously, hurrying to catch up with him. “Normally, people are happy when they don’t have to go to school for a few weeks.”

“And, normally, I would be too; except that my dad wants me to spend most of it in Lima. He’s already sent me a text asking me when I’ll be home, and what you’re going to be doing while I’m there,” Kurt told him. “I have no idea what to tell him! But he’s insisting that I spend Christmas with him and my family in Lima, since I couldn’t attend last year’s Christmas dinner because of the full moon being on the same night.”

“Your family celebrates Christmas?” Blaine asked, starting the car to begin their drive home.

“Yeah…sort of,” he replied, tentatively. “We don’t really celebrate the religious aspect of the holiday. More like, we celebrate family and togetherness, the sharing and giving, things like that. It’s more about the symbolism of the holiday rather than the theological. We get a tree, and we decorate; we sing fun songs about wintertime and Santa Claus; watch Christmas movies; eat a big family meal; exchange presents. Why? Does your family not do that?”

“No. Most werewolves aren’t exactly religious,” Blaine answered.

“Well, yeah, I know that,” Kurt said. “I mean, my mom definitely avoided any religious Christmas songs, movies, and decorations; but she said it was important for us to celebrate _something_ so that we wouldn’t stand out too much. And since my dad is human, and he grew up celebrating _all_ aspects of Christmas in his house – religious and otherwise – we just stuck with that…just without all the Jesus stuff.”

“I didn’t realize warlocks could be Christians…” Blaine said, sounding confused.

“I don’t know what the norm is for warlock religions,” he said. “But you have to remember, my grandparents were – or rather _are_ – trying to hide that they’re warlocks from _everyone_ – including my dad. If they do have some alternate religion that they follow, they’d most likely have to keep it secret from him; practice their religious ceremonies and whatnot in private when no one is around. So, maybe they chose to integrate themselves into a Christian community to avoid my dad asking questions about their actual religion – or lack thereof – whatever the case may be. Christianity is something you see and hear about everywhere in Ohio. No one would question them about it.”

“That’s true too,” Blaine agreed. “Okay…so what do you want to do for the holiday then?”

“That’s the thing; I don’t know!” Kurt complained. “And I hate that I only have a few days to figure it all out! I thought that I’d have more time to work out how we would deal with long-ish school breaks, but winter break just snuck up on me so fast; it starts in, what? Two days? Or something like that. And not only that, but there is a full moon during the break too – only a few days before Christmas – so I have to make sure I am _here_ for that instead of in Lima; especially since I’m going to experience a forced shift. And there is no way I’m going to miss a full moon with my pack out in the woods, just so I can be alone and trapped in my old bedroom.”

They paused their conversation as Blaine parked the car in their driveway, and they made their way into the house. “Well,” he began as soon as they were safely in their living room, “if your dad doesn’t mind, I could join you for your holiday festivities, since I won’t be missing any of my own family traditions. And, I guess, if he does mind, then I could stay at that motel near his house, maybe even get some of the pack to come and hang out with me – at least for a few hours anyway – since I’m sure nothing else is going to be open.” Opening his student planner, Blaine looked at the calendar inside. “Okay, so we have a full day of school tomorrow, then a half-day of classes on Wednesday, and then we’re on break until classes start back up January 3rd – so that’s 2 weeks off. The full moon is this Saturday, and Christmas Eve is the following Monday. Did your dad say when he wanted you home? Or for how long? Because if he doesn’t need you back as soon as break starts – and he can wait a few days – we could always go to Lima late Sunday afternoon – or early Sunday evening. That way we’d be able to spend the full moon at the cabin without any issues, and you’ll still be back before Christmas Eve.”

“That could work…” Kurt mused. “But how long can we stay in Lima for? Because I’m pretty sure my dad wouldn’t like it if we left right after Christmas dinner, or even the next morning. And I just don’t know how Carole and Finn would react to having _both_ of us at the house for 4 or 5 days or even a whole week, you know?”

“That’s what the motel is for,” Blaine responded. “They get their family time with just you, but I’m still close enough that we won’t be physically or emotionally impacted.”

“I guess, but I don’t know,” Kurt said, not convinced. “I should probably talk to my dad and see what he wants; and I need to find out what Carole and Finn think about all of this too – _without_ revealing too much information to make them suspicious. Maybe we should split the trip up into 2 visits instead of spending 4 or 5 days in a row in Lima? Like, go up there just for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day then come back here for a few days then go back to Lima for New Years? Or something?”

“That’s always an option too,” Blaine agreed. “But, you’re right, we definitely need to talk to your dad first. See what he has to say.” Looking at his phone to check the incoming text message he just got, he added, “My mom wants us to come upstairs. She has something she wants to talk to us about.”

“Is everything okay?” Kurt asked, already getting up off the couch.

“I think so,” he replied. “Pretty sure that if it was something serious, she would have come down here right away, rather than wait for me to answer a text.”

\---

Blaine knocked on the open door of his parents’ home office. “Mom? You wanted to see us?”

“Hey sweetie, come on in,” Pam said, waving the boys into the room. “I hope I didn’t interrupt anything?”

“Not really,” Blaine replied. “We were just discussing potential plans for winter break. Kurt’s dad wants him home for the Christmas holiday with his human family, so we’re just trying to figure out a visitation schedule.”

“Well, I have some news that may impact your plans. I just got off a video call with Cooper,” Pam told him. “Caitlin has some vacation time and some air miles that she needs to use before the end of the year. So, they decided to visit us during your school break. Their plane lands in Ohio Thursday afternoon, and they’re going to be here for about two-and-a-half weeks.”

“Please tell me you reminded him that Kurt and I live in the basement apartment now,” Blaine said. “I know that’s where he and Cait usually stay when they come to visit, but I will not be kicked out of my own home during my vacation to accommodate him. They can stay upstairs in his old bedroom or out in his cabin if he really wants some privacy; but I’m _not_ leaving my apartment.”

Pam looked apologetic as she replied, “I did tell him that. But you know your brother. He just shrugged and said, _‘so tell him he can have the place back when we leave’_. He seems to think you will be willing to relocate while he’s in town.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not,” Blaine said. “Just because I allowed them to stay there before, when he and Cait visited for a few days over the summer – even though I technically owned it at the time – doesn’t mean I’m going to do it again. Circumstances changed. I have a mate now. I live there full-time now. Before, I usually only stayed down there when my pack was visiting, or you guys had guests and I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Wait a second,” Kurt began, hesitantly. “If they are arriving on Thursday, then that means they’ll be in Ohio for the full moon. But the rest of their pack will still be in California, right? So, what are they doing for that?”

“They’ll spend it at the cabin with us,” Blaine said. “Or to put it more accurately: they will be staying in Cooper’s cabin, while we and our pack stay in our cabin; but they will be on the campgrounds in the woods with us the whole night. They’ll probably go back-and-forth between hanging out with us, and running off on their own all night. At least, that’s what they did during the full moon that occurred when they were here over the summer. Cooper may be my brother, but he’s not my pack, so he’s not my responsibility during the moon.”

“But, uh… If they’re going to be with us… It’s just… Cooper doesn’t know I’m a white wolf; does he?” Kurt stammered.

“No. We didn’t tell him that,” Blaine answered. “In fact, we didn’t even tell him you were a hybrid. All he knows is that your name is Kurt, you are 17, and you go to Dalton where you are in the Warblers with me. He doesn’t really have much of an attention span for me to have told him anything else.”

“Blaine…” Pam sighed. “Please don’t speak about your brother with any disrespect.”

“Saying Cooper doesn’t have a large attention span isn’t disrespectful if it’s the truth,” Blaine countered. “Anyway!” he continued, turning back to Kurt. “I think both Cooper and Caitlin will react to your wolf in a similar way to how our pack did. At first, they’ll be shocked; but soon enough that shock will wear off and they’ll be treating you like they would anyone else…with just a _hint_ more respect. And since you smell like a full-blooded Delta werewolf, there is no way either of them would know that there is anything else different or unusual about you either – unless you tell them, or you perform magic right in front of them; because I honestly can’t smell any magic on you anymore unless you’re _actively_ using it – and even then, it’s barely noticeable unless it’s complicated magic. So, it’s completely your decision on if you want to let them know that you’re a hybrid and/or a warlock. Though, they will probably ask questions you don’t want to answer if you do tell them; so, _personally_ , I would avoid it.”

“Yeah, I’d rather not try to explain how I managed to avoid suffering interspecies complications as a hybrid,” Kurt said. “Not that I don’t trust your family, but I already feel like _too_ many people know not only about my hybrid status, but my warlock status as well. I only told Sam I was a hybrid because he knew me before you and I mated – which means he could tell the difference in my scent; _and_ he knows my dad too. Thankfully he hasn’t asked me any questions about my survival; nor has he mentioned anything _‘off’_ about my dad’s scent. But even though Sam knows I’m a hybrid, he still doesn’t know I have white fur. And I guess I’m just a little nervous about having other werewolves see my wolf; though I guess it’s something I should get used to, right? I can’t hide it forever.”

“I think that if you don’t make a big deal about the fact that you are an all-white werewolf, then Cooper and Caitlin won’t make a big deal about it either,” Pam said. “I’m sure they’ll probably have questions, but since we honestly don’t have answers, they won’t press you about them too much.”

“Yeah, and if you don’t say anything about it _before_ the full moon forces us to shift, then they won’t know until they see your wolf; but since they will _also_ be wolves at that point, that means that they won’t be able to ask you any questions until the next morning. And with any luck, they’ll think they were hallucinating or something,” Blaine said, only half-joking.

Pam rolled her eyes at her youngest son, shaking her head, before attempting to change the topic. “So, now that you know Cooper is visiting over break, how does that affect your plans? Or does it?”

“Well, we hadn’t really decided what exactly we are going to do yet,” Blaine told her. “We need to talk to Burt and find out how long he wants Kurt home for, and if he has specific days he wants Kurt home; and we need to find out if I’m staying with the family the entire time, or if I’ll be at the motel for a few days. Because we don’t know how Carole and Finn feel about me joining their family holiday time, or whatever. The only thing we do know for certain is that we’re going to the cabin Saturday night for the full moon. But now that Coop is visiting… I do want to be able to spend _some_ time with him while he’s here.” He turned to look at Kurt and added, “Maybe you were right? About splitting the visit into two trips. With Coop here, it would feel weird taking off for 5-plus days in a row. Especially since they specifically planned this trip to coincide with our school break.”

Kurt nodded in agreement. “I think that’s what we should suggest to my dad when we talk to him. Hopefully, he agrees.”

“Alright,” Pam said, considering what the boys had said. “Well, tomorrow afternoon, Marc and I will be at one of our flip properties – just a few minutes outside of Lima – so we can stop by that motel and book a room for the whole break. That way Blaine will have a place to stay no matter which days you are in Lima or what Burt has to say about him spending the holiday with you.” Then with a sly grin she added, “Or, you know, if the two of you need some alone time away from Kurt’s family the room will be there for that too.”

“Thanks, mom,” Blaine said.

“It’s a mother’s duty to make sure her kids are safe and _happy_ ,” she replied, winking.

Blaine snorted while trying not to laugh. “I think we should go downstairs now and try to call Burt; see what he has to say.”

“I’ll send you a text when dinner’s ready,” she told them, as they exited the office.

\---

“Hi, dad,” Kurt said, when his father answered the phone.

“It’s about time you called me,” Burt replied, casually. “I sent you that text over an hour ago.”

“I know; but I was I still at school when I got it,” Kurt told him. “And then when Blaine and I got home, Pam needed to talk to us.”

Burt let out a huff of air before continuing, “Alright, so, what is the plan for winter break? You’re done with classes Wednesday afternoon, right? So, you coming home right after? Or you waiting until Thursday to come home?”

“Actually dad…” he began, cautiously. “We were kind of thinking that we’d wait until Sunday evening to come up.”

“Why wait so long?” Burt asked. “I’d rather you come once your break starts.”

“There is a full moon on Saturday,” Kurt reminded him. “And it’s not like before, where I’d be able to sit on the couch and hang out with everyone, even though I was _extremely_ uncomfortable and would much rather be in my room masturbating because my hormones were going haywire trying to lure my soulmate in by scent. I’m actually going to shift into a wolf this time. And even if I wasn’t, Blaine still would; and I’d have to be with him. There’s no way we can be stuck inside your house in Lima when that happens. Plus, Blaine’s brother, Cooper, and his mate, Caitlin, are coming to Ohio for their vacation on Thursday. So, we thought we should spend a little time with them while they are in town.”

“I forgot about that damn moon,” Burt grumbled under his breath. “Alright, so you’ll be home Sunday? What’s Blaine gonna be doing while you’re here?”

“Yes, Sunday _evening_ ,” he confirmed. “And that’s actually what we needed to talk to you about. Are Carole and Finn going to be okay with him staying at the house for a few days? And joining us for our Christmas traditions? Or should he stay at the motel, and maybe ask some of our packmates if they’ll come hang out with him for a few hours? Though, I will have to spend _some_ time with him during our visit, just so we don’t make ourselves sick or anything.”

“First…How long are you staying here?” Burt asked. “That might help me figure out accommodations.”

“Because Cooper is gonna be visiting at the same time, we thought it’d probably be easier if we split the visit up into two trips,” Kurt told him. “That way we can kind of balance out family time. We were thinking first we’d arrive in Lima Sunday evening, and stay until late Wednesday afternoon. That way we will have all of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with you guys. Then we’d come back up the following Sunday morning, and stay until late Tuesday afternoon. So, we’d be in Lima for all of New Year’s Eve, and most of New Year’s Day, and we’d be back in Westerville with enough time to get ready to go back to school on Thursday. Does that sound okay?”

Burt hummed in consideration. “I know Carole and Finn won’t mind having him here for Christmas Eve, but I’m not sure about Christmas Day. But what about Blaine’s family? Don’t they have Christmas plans of their own? What are they doing for the holiday? Won’t they mind him not being there?”

“Blaine’s family doesn’t celebrate Christmas,” Kurt informed him. “So, they don’t have any plans at all. It’s just a regular Tuesday to them; except of course that most businesses are closed that day, so there’s less work they can get done. And Pam said she’s going to be renting out a motel room for Blaine for the whole break; just in case,” he added, changing the subject slightly. “So, if Carole and Finn would rather not have Blaine over on Christmas Day, he could maybe sleep over at the house Sunday night, so he can spend Christmas Eve with us, then go back to the motel that night; then it will just be the four of us – you, me, Finn, and Carole – for Christmas Day. I’d have to see him first thing Wednesday morning though. But if they are okay with him joining us for the holiday, I could drop him off at the motel Sunday night, then he can come over Monday morning/afternoon and sleep over that night, so he’ll be able to spend all of Christmas Day with us. Then it’s up to you guys if he goes back to the motel Tuesday evening or sleeps over again, so we can just leave together Wednesday afternoon. But the room will be there no matter what they say, or what you want to do.”

“Alight, I’ll talk to Finn and Carole tonight and see what they think about him joining us for the holiday,” Burt said. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Okay,” he agreed. “Talk to you later, dad. Goodnight.”

\---

Sitting on the couch, watching a movie after dinner, Kurt began to nuzzle his face against Blaine’s shoulder. He made a small whining sound, then adjusted his position – laying down on the couch with his head in Blaine’s lap – so he could nuzzle against Blaine’s thigh instead.

Blaine ran his fingers through Kurt’s hair, trying to soothe him. “Are you okay, honey?” he asked, softly. “What’s wrong?”

Kurt hummed a sound of uncertainty while attempting to shrug. Then he buried his face further into Blaine’s lap.

“Baby, look at me for a second,” Blaine said, firmly. Kurt looked up at him with a timid expression, face open and vulnerable. “Oh, honey!” Blaine cooed. “Your submissive hormones are really getting the better of you right now; aren’t they? I’ve never seen you this submissive in your human form before; just as a wolf. But luckily, I know how to help with that.”

Blaine shut off the TV, then used his Alpha-voice to command Kurt, “Sit up.” Once Kurt sat up straight, Blaine kissed him sweetly then ordered him to go into the bedroom, strip off all his clothes, and kneel on the floor at the foot of the bed.

Kurt hurried to obey the commands, already feeling slightly better at being told what to do. Blaine got up and followed Kurt into the bedroom. “Alright, sweetheart,” Blaine began, as he stripped out of his own clothing, “here’s what’s going to happen: first, I’m going to fuck that pretty little mouth of yours. Then I’m going to cuff you to the bed, where I will then tease and torture you with a variety of fun toys.” He then smirked at Kurt, and in his Alpha-voice added, “And you will not cum until I tell you to. You will not ask permission to cum. You will not use magic. I will be monitoring you through our bond; however, if at any time you need me to stop, you _will_ use your safeword. Understood?”

“Yes, Alpha,” Kurt replied.

“Good,” Blaine said. Pressing the tip of his cock to Kurt’s lips, he ordered, “Now open up. Hands behind your back; don’t move them.”

Kurt did as he was told, positioning his arms behind his back and clasping his elbows to hold himself in place, then opening his mouth for Blaine. Blaine then slid his cock into Kurt’s mouth, tapping the bottom of Kurt’s chin up, in a silent signal to close his mouth again. Then Blaine began to fuck Kurt’s mouth, holding his head in place as he thrusted in and out of that wonderful wet warmth.

“I love your mouth,” Blaine moaned. “Come on, baby, suck me. Don’t be shy, sweetheart. Yeah, that’s it; just like that.”

Any time that Kurt attempted to move his head to take in more of Blaine, or to adjust the speed, Blaine would give his hair a sharp tug, silently warning him to keep his head still. He randomly alternated his thrusts from hard and fast, to slow and leisurely; from deep to shallow; so that Kurt never knew what to expect. Using their bond, he kept a close eye over Kurt, so that he could make sure Kurt was feeling okay and that he was getting enough air.

Feeling his orgasm approaching, Blaine pulled out of Kurt’s mouth, jerking himself off until he came all over Kurt’s face. “Fuck, Kurt… you’re incredible,” he said, slightly dazed. Smiling down at Kurt, who was staring up at him, eyes filled with love and devotion, Blaine ordered, “Stand up, sweetheart. Relax your arms.”

Kurt quickly got to his feet, placing his arms by his sides. “Good boy,” Blaine praised him, just before grabbing the back of Kurt’s head and kissing him deeply. Pulling away from the kiss, Blaine looked at Kurt with a sly grin, while licking his lips. “Is it weird that I _love_ kissing you after you’ve sucked me off? Then again, considering how often I used to give _myself_ blowjobs while in wolf form, I’m going to go with ‘no’.”

Blaine dragged a finger through the cum on Kurt’s nose and cheeks, then held it in front of Kurt’s mouth, motioning for him to lick it clean. Kurt wrapped his lips around the finger being offered to him, and slowly, bobbed his head as he licked the cum off; his eyes never leaving Blaine’s gaze.

“Oh, you dirty boy,” Blaine said, playfully, enjoying Kurt’s slight teasing. When Kurt had licked him clean, Blaine removed his finger from Kurt’s mouth, and stepped over to the nightstand at the side of the bed. He opened the bottom drawer and pulled out a pair of fur-lined handcuffs. He held them up for Kurt to see; enjoying the way Kurt’s eyes widened and his breathing became fast and shallow.

“I see you recognize these?” Blaine said. He motioned Kurt to come closer. “Well, these _lovely_ , magically-reinforced-to-withstand-the-strength-of-a-werewolf handcuffs are going to hold you down on the bed while I tease you. I think watching you squirm and try to break free will be more fun than if I just Alpha-command you not to move.” Nodding his head toward the bed, Blaine commanded, “Up on the bed. Hands on the headboard.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Kurt said, trying to hold back the excitement in his voice. He jumped up onto the bed into a lounging position – upper back and shoulders against the headboard, legs spread out in front of him along the bed – then reached his arms above his head to grab hold of the headboard.

“Perfect,” Blaine said, admiring Kurt’s naked body. He placed some pillows behind Kurt’s shoulder blades and lower back to help make him a little more comfortable. Then Blaine cuffed Kurt in place, ordering him to test that the cuffs would in fact hold him; when he was satisfied, he went back to the open nightstand drawer to look for more toys to use on Kurt. “Hmmm… Now which one… Ooh, I know.”

Reaching into the drawer, Blaine removed several items then placed them on top of the nightstand. The collection on the nightstand included a vibrating plug, a large vibrator, and a medium sized dildo. In Blaine’s hands, was a restraint harness that looked like a neck strap with a thigh cuff on each end. The design of the harness would keep Kurt’s legs open and pressed close to his chest.

“First…” Blaine said, showing Kurt the harness, “I need to put _this_ on you.” Once the harness was in place, Blaine got the lube from the top drawer of the nightstand. “Next… the vibrating plug. Remember, under no circumstances are you allowed to cum unless I tell you to.” He hurriedly prepped Kurt, inserted the plug into Kurt’s hole, then turned the vibration on to max.

Blaine nestled himself between Kurt’s open legs – hips snug between Kurt’s upper thighs – then leaned forward to kiss and bite Kurt’s neck, while using his hands to play with Kurt’s nipples. Eventually, his mouth traveled lower, to Kurt’s collarbone, then his mouth alternated between Kurt’s nipples – sucking and biting them; while Kurt wiggled around as much as his restraints allowed, moaning loudly in ecstasy.

“Hmm…if you’re having this much fun now, just wait to see what else I have in store for you a little later,” Blaine told him. “For now though…” He repositioned himself, placing his head between Kurt’s thighs, so that he could use his mouth to tease Kurt’s balls.

“That feels so good!” Kurt groaned, when Blaine sucked one of his balls into his mouth while using his tongue for added stimulation. After a moment, Blaine switched to Kurt’s other ball. Then he slowly began to kiss and lick all over Kurt’s cock before eventually engulfing just the head, gently sucking and licking.

Finally, Blaine pulled away and looked at Kurt full of desire. “Fuck, baby. You are so damn sexy, and the noises you make drive me wild. I am so hard right now because of you; which means: I think it’s time for phase two…”

Blaine took the dildo off of the nightstand, shut off the vibration on the plug, slid the plug out of Kurt and placed it on the bed beside him. Then he lubed himself up and pushed his cock deep into Kurt in one thrust. Without giving Kurt any time to adjust, Blaine began to rapidly thrust. He slowly began to work a finger into Kurt’s hole while continuing to fuck him; then a second finger; and soon a third. Blaine hurried to lube up the dildo he had placed on the bed, then pushed it into Kurt’s hole alongside his cock.

Every time Blaine pulled back, he’d push the dildo forward; and when he pushed himself back into Kurt, he’d pull back on the dildo. “I love being able to double penetrate you. It feels amazing. And I love how much you enjoy it too.”

“Oh god, Blaine!” Kurt cried out. “Right there! So good!”

Blaine wrapped a hand around Kurt’s erection and began pumping hard and fast. “You like this? You like me bringing you closer and closer to the edge without letting you fall over it? Huh?”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Kurt chanted. “Love the way you make me feel.”

“Fuck, baby, I am so close,” Blaine told him. “Are you close, baby? Do you need to cum?”

“Close; yes. But I don’t need to cum unless you want me to,” Kurt replied.

“Good answer,” he said. Blaine elongated his fangs and showed them to Kurt. “ _Don’t_ cum.” He then leaned down and bit Kurt on the shoulder as he came into Kurt. His grip on Kurt’s cock loosened, until he stopped stroking Kurt while he came down from his orgasm. Taking a few seconds to catch his breath, Blaine slid the dildo out of Kurt before retracting his fangs and detaching his mouth from Kurt’s shoulder.

Kurt whimpered at the lack of friction he was feeling. “Blaine, Blaine, please, please,” he whined.

Blaine shook his head at Kurt then pulled himself completely out. “I _know_ you’re not begging to cum; so, tell me, sweetheart, what _are_ you begging me for?”

“Something…need something…wanna be touched. Filled. Both. Something; please,” Kurt stammered, pulling on his restraints, trying to break free.

“Hmm… I suppose I can start phase three now.” He reached over to the nightstand and picked up the large vibrator sitting on top of it. After applying a coat of lube, he inserted the vibrator into Kurt’s already stretched out hole, then turned the vibration on to its highest setting. “Is this what you wanted?”

“Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Kurt replied, while moaning in gratitude. He began clenching and unclenching his butt cheeks, trying to get more friction from the vibrator, while thrusting his hips in the air as much as his restraints allowed; attempting to fuck himself on the pulsating, stationary vibrator in his ass.

“No, no, sweetheart,” Blaine said, smacking Kurt’s ass. “Only _I_ get to decide when and how this vibrator moves.”

“Sorry, Alpha,” he replied, forcing himself to remain still.

“I’ll let you off with a warning this time, since I did not expressly forbid it,” Blaine told him. “But try it again, and I _will_ punish you. And not the fun kind of punishment either.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” Kurt said, gratefully.

Very slowly, Blaine began to twist the vibrator from side to side, while pushing and pulling on it – moving it only millimeters at a time. His fingertips lightly caressed up and down the length of Kurt’s cock, as Blaine placed kisses, and bites all over Kurt’s torso. Bringing his face level with Kurt’s, he looked him in the eye, and in a voice full of sincere emotion said, “You look so beautiful right now. Absolutely stunning.” Bringing the hand on Kurt’s cock a little lower, he cupped Kurt’s balls then began to squeeze them tightly, watching as Kurt whimpered in both pain and pleasure. “Look at you. Being so good for me. Letting me do whatever I want.” He loosened his grip on Kurt’s balls; pushed the vibrator deeper into Kurt, wiggling it around slightly; wrapped a loose hand around Kurt’s cock, leisurely stroking him; then started to kiss, suck, and bite along Kurt’s neck. In between kisses he added, “And you’re taking it all without any complaints.”

Kurt moaned loudly in response, tilting his head to the side to give Blaine better access. “I trust you,” Kurt whimpered out. “I know that whatever you do – or want to do – will be worth it; that it’s for both of our benefits.”

Pulling back to smile at Kurt, he then straddled Kurt’s chest and kissed him fiercely. Licking his way into Kurt’s mouth, and gently sucking on Kurt’s tongue, Blaine moaned in pleasure. When the need for air became to great, he pulled back just enough to separate their lips from one another. “And then you go and say something like that and just prove to me how utterly perfect you really are for me. I love you so damn much.” Looking at his position, he smirked and added, “Now be a good boy and suck me.”

Blaine held his cock up to Kurt’s lips, the eased it into Kurt’s awaiting mouth. As he began to gently fuck Kurt’s mouth, Blaine reached behind him to play with the vibrator that was still inside of Kurt. “Fuck, baby. You feel so good. I want you to use your tongue. Bring me to the edge, but don’t make me fall over it. I still got more plans for you. Oh yeah! Just like that! God, even when you’re not using magic, you still feel magical. So amazing!”

Kurt hummed, licked, and sucked; doing all he could to give his mate the most pleasure possible. He dipped his tongue into Blaine’s slit; he wrapped his tongue around the shaft as Blaine thrusted in and out; he deep throated Blaine all the way down to the base, sucking and licking, closing his throat muscles around Blaine’s cock, holding him there for several seconds before releasing and pulling back to do it all over again. At one point, when his lips had reached the base of Blaine’s cock again, Kurt had even extended his tongue out to lick Blaine’s scrotum while sucking him off.

Blaine continued to play with the vibrator – pushing, pulling, twisting – the entire time. “Oh my god! Yes! Fuck, Kurt, that’s incredible! Keep doing that, baby!” After another minute or so, Blaine finally felt like he was too close to the edge to continue. He pulled out of Kurt’s mouth, and got off of Kurt’s chest.

Picking up the lube again, Blaine poured a generous amount into his hand. Once again, he reached behind himself, only this time, he began to finger himself open. He used his other hand to continue playing with Kurt’s vibrator.

Kurt whimpered when he saw what Blaine was doing and began struggling even harder to break free of his restraints. “I want to touch you. I need to touch you. Please, please… Please let me touch you. Please.”

“Not yet, baby,” Blaine teased. “Right now, all you’re allowed to do is watch me. You’re going to feel this vibrator in your ass, fucking you, while you watch me finger myself. And you’re going to enjoy every second of it.” He pressed the vibrator right up against Kurt’s prostate and left it there for a few seconds before doing it all over again and again.

When Blaine was fully prepped, he looked at Kurt and asked, “You ready for the next phase of my plans?”

“Yes; yes, Alpha,” Kurt said, nodding emphatically. “I’m ready for whatever you want.”

“Good boy,” he replied. Blaine turned the vibrator off and slid it out of Kurt – who whimpered at the loss – but then hurriedly picked the plug back up and inserted it in its place. Turning the vibration of the plug on to maximum, Blaine then adjusted the harness holding Kurt’s thighs up; so that he could lay his legs out flat on the bed. Once again, Blaine straddled Kurt; then he took hold of Kurt’s cock and gradually began to lower himself onto it.

“Mmm, baby, you feel so good,” Blaine moaned. “I’m going to ride you so hard…” When he bottomed out, he allowed himself a few moments to adjust, occasionally clenching and unclenching his ass – as a way to tease Kurt. Finally, he lifted himself up, so that just the tip of Kurt’s cock was still inside him, then he swiftly sank down onto it over and over again.

“Oh dear god, it’s been way too long since I’ve ridden you. Fuck!” Blaine exclaimed.

Kurt hungrily stared at the muscles in Blaine’s thighs flexing as Blaine bounced on his cock. Pulling on his restraints again, he added, “I want to touch you. Your thighs, your cock, your ass…”

With a sly grin on his face, Blaine shook his head. “Not yet. But I will take a kiss.” He leaned forward and began kissing Kurt passionately while continuing to ride Kurt as fast – and as hard – as his body allowed.

Fifteen minutes later, Blaine hadn’t once slowed down or eased up on Kurt. “Alright, sweetheart. I’m getting kind of close.” He started to stretch a hand toward the nightstand, but stopped before he could reach it, then cursed under his breath. “I need to borrow your magic,” Blaine told him.

Kurt tore his gaze away from Blaine’s cock to look up at his face in shock. “Uh, of course. Whatever you need.”

Blaine reached out to touch the handcuffs holding Kurt in place, pulled his hand back a fraction of an inch, then mimed turning a key. The handcuffs sprung open, freeing Kurt. “Touch me, baby. I want your hands on me,” Blaine ordered, once Kurt was no longer bound.

Kurt’s hands immediately flew to Blaine’s ass, groping and fondling him. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“I’m so close!” Blaine cried out, a few moments later. “I need you to jerk me off. Touch my cock.” Instantly, Kurt was stroking Blaine, trying to get him off. “I want…” Blaine continued, panting, “I want us to cum together.” Looking Kurt straight in the eye, he used his Alpha-voice to order him, “As soon as I bite you, cum.”

Blaine placed a few small kisses on Kurt’s neck, but as soon as his orgasm hit, he bit down roughly on the juncture of Kurt’s neck and shoulder, causing Kurt to finally tip over the edge as well. They helped each other ride their orgasms out, then Blaine collapsed onto Kurt. “Holy fuck, baby.”

Kurt whimpered slightly, causing Blaine to spring up and look over Kurt in alarm. “Oh, fuck…” Blaine said, as he lifted himself off of Kurt to shut off and remove the plug from Kurt’s ass. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I kinda liked it,” Kurt replied.

“Of course you did,” he agreed. Blaine then completely removed the harness from Kurt, unhooked the handcuffs from the headboard, and placed them both back in the nightstand drawer. Before he could move the other toys, Kurt made grabby-hands motion to him, while exaggeratedly pouting.

As soon as Blaine had crawled back in bed, Kurt’s arms instantly wrapped around him, and Kurt began nuzzling Blaine’s chest, sighing contentedly.

“Honey, I need to clean up our mess,” Blaine said softly, carding his fingers through Kurt’s hair. “And then we need to take a bath.”

Kurt made a small hum of disagreement, while shaking his head. “Cuddle first. Clean later.”

“Okay,” he agreed, snuggling closer to Kurt. “Cuddle first.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REMINDER: text written _**< <**like this **> >**_ is telepathic communication between Kurt & Blaine (meaning no one else can hear what is being said).

Leaving his history classroom with David, Kurt turned to his packmate and asked, “Do we still have Warbler rehearsal today? Or has it been cancelled because of vacation starting tomorrow?”

“Of course we still have rehearsal,” David told him. “Like you said, vacation starts _tomorrow_ ; we’re not going to cancel _today’s_ meeting because of that. Why do you ask anyway?” He smirked at Kurt and in a teasing voice asked, “You trying to ditch rehearsal? Got someplace better to be?”

Kurt laughed and shook his head. “No. I love the Warblers. Although, sometimes I feel it’s a little _too_ structured, but singing is something that has always made me feel good; and singing with people you care about is even better. So, no, I’m definitely not trying to ditch rehearsal. I was curious because I’d heard some other guys talking about their club meetings being cancelled today so everyone could get a jump start on vacation. I wasn’t sure if that was all club meetings or just the ones they were in.”

“Ah, I see. Well, we’re not cancelling. And you’ll be happy to know that today is going to be a little more _spontaneous_ in nature,” David said. “We wanted to make today’s meeting a little more fun, and less ‘business as usual’, since it is so close to the start of winter break; and because our next competition isn’t until March, we can relax a little for right now. I can’t give away what we will be doing just yet, but I think you’ll like it.”

“Ooh! Sounds intriguing!” Kurt replied. They arrived at the cafeteria and quickly made their way through the line, gathering their lunches, then took their seats at their usual table with Wes, Blaine, and Thad.

As soon as they took their seats, Thad turned to the both of them and said, “We need you guys to settle a debate.”

Wes groaned and added, “Do yourselves a favor and don’t get involved; it’s not worth it.”

“Oh, shush!” Blaine told him. “We just need someone to help settle a tiny disagreement, that’s all.”

“Wait!” Thad exclaimed, suddenly. “Before we get your opinions, I need you to promise you won’t side with Blaine just because of pack,” switching his gaze from David to Kurt he added, “or _mate_ loyalties. We need honest, _impartial_ responses.” He then turned to Blaine and said, “And no Alpha-commands either.”

Kurt looked at them all skeptically for a moment. “What is this debate about?”

“Which is the best Maroon 5 album?” Thad said. “ _Hands All Over_ or _Songs About Jane_?”

“Seriously? _That’s_ what you’re debating about?” Kurt asked, rolling his eyes.

“Why are those the only two options?” David asked. “Pretty sure everyone knows _It Won't Be Soon Before Long_ is their best album.”

“Oh my god,” Wes grumbled, hiding his face in his hands; then muttering about how he warned David not to get involved.

Thad and Blaine simultaneously began to argue why David was wrong and that the album they had chosen – _Songs About Jane_ for Blaine, and _Hands All Over_ for Thad – should be considered as the better album.

“Guys…” Kurt said, trying to get their attention. “Guys!”

“It’s no use, Kurt,” Wes told him. “Thad and Blaine have been arguing about this _all_ morning.”

Kurt huffed then tried one more time, with a little more authority to his voice, “Guys; Please stop arguing!”

Suddenly all three boys stopped talking mid-word and looked at Kurt. “Sorry, Monseigneur,” David and Blaine replied automatically, in unison; while Thad had automatically replied with, “Sorry, sir.”

“How…” Wes began to ask, stunned by what he just witnessed.

“Wait… Did you guys just call Kurt ‘ _Monseigneur_ ’?” Thad said, shaking off the shock of involuntarily complying with Kurt’s demand.

“Baby? How did you do that?” Blaine asked, tentatively.

Kurt looked around at the faces of the 4 boys in front of him and cautiously said, “If someone would like to tell me _what_ I did, I might be able to answer _how_ I did it.”

“You used an Alpha-command,” David replied. “Only it _wasn’t_ an Alpha-command? It felt slightly different. But mostly the same.”

“Yeah…” Blaine agreed. “And it couldn’t have been an Alpha-command anyway; since I don’t reflexively respond to them, and Thad isn’t pack.” He then silently added, _**< <**And I _know _it wasn’t magic either, so you don’t have to worry about that. It was_ definitely _a werewolf command. That’s why David and I felt compelled to apologize using your title. I just don’t understand what it was. Or how it worked on all three of us._ >>

“I’m not sure…” Kurt replied hesitantly.

Wes gasped and murmured, “Oh my god. We’re supposed to take the stories _literally_.”

“What?” Blaine asked him.

Looking around the cafeteria, Wes shook his head. “Not here. The rest of the pack should be present for this too.”

“The music room is empty now, right?” Blaine checked. When Wes nodded in confirmation, Blaine continued, “Okay, let’s go there to talk. Kurt and I will go to the office and have the other boys pulled from class to meet us there. Wait for everyone to be there before you say anything though.”

Everyone agreed, gathered their things, then got up from their table and headed toward their respective destinations.

_**< <**Just to be safe, when we get to the music room, I need you to put a one-way sound barrier up. That way no one can hear us, but we can still hear outside of the room; so we know when the bell rings, or if a teacher or someone is approaching the room, **> >**_ Blaine told Kurt on their way out of the cafeteria.

Kurt nodded in reply.

\---

Blaine had told Kurt that he was just going to ask to have Trent, Nick, and Jeff paged to the music room under the guise of Warbler business; but Kurt was there as a backup in case magic was needed to convince the secretary to agree. However, the secretary readily agreed to page the boys at Blaine’s request, so the use of Kurt’s magic was not necessary. Blaine thanked her for her cooperation, then he and Kurt hurried off to the music room.

It only took about a minute or so before Trent, Nick, and Jeff joined the rest of the boys in the music room. As soon as they were inside, Kurt silently asked Blaine to distract Thad so that he could toss up a one-way sound barrier and seal the door, so they wouldn’t be interrupted.

Nick noticed what Kurt was doing and cautiously asked, “Um, so, what’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“Something happened while we were in the cafeteria,” Blaine began. “Kurt was able to use an Alpha-command of some kind. One that worked, not only on David, but Thad and myself too.”

“But you’re an Alpha,” Jeff said, shocked.

“Yeah, and Thad’s not pack,” Trent added.

“And I think the most obvious of all: Kurt’s not an Alpha,” Nick said.

“Exactly!” Blaine told them. “But the compulsion to comply felt _very_ similar to how it feels to hear an Alpha-command. Not only that, but David and I both automatically replied using Kurt’s honorific.”

“Yeah, about that,” Thad interjected, “did I hear you guys right? Did you really call Kurt ‘Monseigneur’? Is he…?”

Kurt nodded. “Yes. Completely white.”

Jeff gave Blaine a meaningful look as he asked, “And you’re sure it was an _Alpha_ -command?”

“I’m positive it was a type of _werewolf_ command,” Blaine answered, stressing the word ‘werewolf’, so Jeff understood it wasn’t magic. “But it was slightly different than how an Alpha-command feels; or works.”

“When we apologized to Kurt,” Thad began hesitantly, “I could feel myself _needing_ to use a title of some kind; to show respect. I almost said ‘Sorry, Alpha’ but the word died in my throat; it felt _wrong_ ; especially since I know he _isn’t_ an Alpha. That’s why I ended up saying ‘Sorry, _sir_ ’ while both of you replied ‘Sorry,Monseigneur’; it was my way of showing deference without knowing his proper title.”

“Which brings me to why we’re all here,” Wes said. “All the stories about the all-white werewolves that say they commanded respect from any werewolf that crossed their path – what if they meant _literally_? I think we all have just been assuming that it meant they were respected wherever they went because of rank or nobility – or even the rarity of them being all-white. But what if the stories were trying to tell us that the white werewolves could literally command other werewolves?”

“You’re saying you think _all_ of the white werewolves were able to give orders that were involuntarily followed? To any werewolf at all?” David asked. “That they all possessed this ability?”

“Yes, exactly!” Wes agreed. “What if they were considered nobility _because_ of this ability to command others? They say something, and _everyone_ just automatically follows – like a royal decree. Whereas an Alpha can only command their own individual pack.”

“That actually makes a lot of sense,” Blaine said. “Except…Kurt’s never been able to issue orders like that before, and he’s had full control of his wolf for almost a full month now. So, if this is something that all of the white werewolves were capable of – which seems to be a very logical theory – shouldn’t Kurt have been able to give commands before today?”

“Maybe I couldn’t do it before because I didn’t know _how_? I still don’t actually,” Kurt told them. “All I know is that I just wanted you guys to stop arguing over something ridiculous.”

“But, baby, there’s been plenty of times you very emphatically told me to do – or not do – something, and none of those times ended up with me involuntarily doing what you say,” Blaine replied.

“Maybe I did something different this time?” Kurt suggested. “But like I said, I still don’t even know _how_ I did that.”

“Well, if it’s anything like how I give an Alpha-command,” Blaine began, “then what’s happening is your voice is splitting itself into two channels. Layer one is your regular speaking voice; layer two is the command – basically your vocal cords vibrate at a different frequency to produce a sound that only werewolves can hear, and – in my case – only pack will obey. The only way I can think of how to explain administering a command is… it’s like singing; you hear the note you want to sing in your head, then copy it with your voice. In this case that ‘note’ is your command. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah; yeah, I think so,” Kurt said. “I had this split-second thought in my head that if I spoke with more authority you guys might listen; and it was almost like I could hear something that sounded a lot like _your_ Alpha-voice in my head when I spoke too. But how do I do it again? Intentionally?”

“Um, well, I guess you could think about how it might sound to you if it were me giving the command. Then try to imitate it?” Blaine suggested. “That’s sort of how I learned to use my Alpha-voice. Part of it was natural instinct. But I also listened closely to how my former Alpha sounded when he gave commands – back when I used to involuntarily follow them – and would try to mimic it with my own voice. Do you want to try it again; practice it? That way we can see if it was a fluke or if it’s something you have control over?”

“Would you let me though?” Kurt replied, unsure. “I mean, I thought Alphas usually took offense when another werewolf tried to dominate them and tell them – or their pack – what to do? Especially those with a lower rank.”

“But you’re not just _any_ werewolf,” Blaine told him. “You’re my mate. It’s not like you’re another Alpha that’s trying to subjugate me and seize control of my pack. And, yeah, I _guess_ if someone else in the pack tried to order me – or the rest of the pack – around, I’d probably see it as an act of insubordination. But, baby, I’m hardwired to see you as non-threatening. Besides, I’m volunteering for this, so you’re actually doing what I’m asking you to.”

“Okay,” he agreed. “Any specific commands I should be giving? Or avoiding? And am I just ordering you? Or…?”

“Try it on just me for right now,” Blaine replied. “Let’s see how that goes. Nothing too demeaning though. I’d like to keep some shred of dignity.”

Kurt giggled at the admission then gave Blaine a chaste kiss. “Aww, sweetie, you know I’d still love you no matter how tawdry you appear to be.”

Blaine rolled his eyes in fond exasperation. “Do you need to hear my Alpha-voice first? For reference?” he checked. “Or you think you’ll be okay without it?”

“I think I’ve heard enough of your commands to be able to instantaneously recall your Alpha-voice at a moment’s notice,” Kurt replied, winking.

“You have?” Jeff asked, surprised. “But Blaine hardly ever uses his Alpha-voice with us though. We usually follow along with what he says out of respect, not because of _actual_ orders.”

Kurt blushed and ducked his head; while Blaine chuckled and told Jeff, “I use my Alpha-voice around him a lot more because it turns him on. He likes it when I tell him what to do. And giving him orders in bed can be _really_ fun.”

“Okay, that’s enough of that…” Kurt said, embarrassed. Narrowing his gaze at Blaine in concentration, he added in his own version of an Alpha-voice, “Now walk to the council table and back then touch your nose three times.”

Blaine immediately did as he was commanded. “Definitely not a fluke,” he said, once his task was complete. “Seems like you figured out how to use it pretty quickly too.”

“That’s… _insane_ ,” Jeff said, in awe. “So, do we think that Kurt can use an Alpha-command because he’s a hybrid and only has that one Alpha classification gene – kinda like how his wolf is the size of an Alpha when he’s not one? Or is this something else?”

“Wait,” Thad said. “Your wolf is not only completely white, but it’s the _size_ of an Alpha too?”

“Yup,” Kurt replied, nodding. “Wes’s dad thinks it’s because I don’t have a definitive genetic classification. In a lot of ways, I resemble a Delta, but my actual class is unspecified – unless Monseigneur is a class? But anyway, it’s because my dad wasn’t able to pass on a werewolf classification gene to me, since he’s human; so my wolf uses the one it was given from my mom – an Alpha – combined with one it ‘borrows’ from my soul-bond with my mate – also an Alpha – to determine my size.”

“But back to Jeff’s question; what Kurt is doing isn’t quite the same thing,” Blaine told them. “It _feels_ different than an Alpha-command. And considering that _I’m_ compelled to follow his orders…”

“Yeah, okay. I get it,” Jeff replied, when Blaine trailed off. “So, what do we call it then? If it’s not an Alpha-command. It has to be called _something_.”

“When we were in the cafeteria,” Kurt began, “Blaine and David replied to my command with ‘Monseigneur’, similar to how we usually reply with ‘Alpha’ when Blaine gives an order. And, if what Wes was saying earlier is true, then it’s a trait that all of the white werewolves had. So why not call it by _their_ honorific? Since it’s something specific to them. Just like an Alpha-command is specific to an Alpha. Except, since ‘Monseigneur’ literally means ‘ _My_ Lord’, maybe drop the ‘My’, and call it a ‘Seigneur-command’? I don’t know; just a suggestion.”

“It’s a suggestion that makes sense though,” Blaine agreed. “I like it.”

“It’s a shame there aren’t any other white wolves to talk to about this,” Trent said. “Then maybe we’d be able to know _for sure_ if it’s a white wolf thing, or a hybrid thing, or maybe even something else entirely.”

“Who said there isn’t any other white wolves?” Kurt asked.

“You are the only one that has been seen in over 1,200 years, Kurt,” Nick replied. “Pretty sure that means there aren’t any others.”

“You know, there are werewolves in other parts of the world – hell, even other parts of _Westerville_ – right now that, if asked, would tell you with _100% certainty_ that all-white werewolves are extinct; and that absolutely _no one_ has seen one in centuries,” Kurt told him. “I mean, outside of the people in this room, there are only five other people who know that I am a white wolf; granted that’s about to change since Thad will obviously mention it to his mate, plus Blaine’s brother and his mate will be visiting during the full moon this weekend. But, as of right now, the amount people that do know isn’t very large at all, and they have all agreed not to draw attention to that fact. You guys told me yourselves, that even when the all-white wolves were around, they were a _rare_ sight. So, who’s to say that there aren’t other white werewolves in other parts of the world in similar situations? Maybe their identities – their existence – are being protected by their packs; just like you guys are protecting mine. Just because I’m the only one that _you know of_ , doesn’t make me the only one alive.”

“He has a point,” Thad said. “Up until a few minutes ago, I was one of those people that assumed white wolves had gone _completely_ extinct. I never imagined I’d even _hear_ about someone who had seen one, let alone meet one myself. And if this ability to command all werewolves is something that every white werewolf is capable of…who’s to say that they aren’t commanding people to stop them from sharing news about their existence?” He then looked at Kurt with wide, expectant eyes. “Speaking of…can I see your wolf?”

“Um…” Kurt hesitated. “The bell is going to ring soon, and I’m not exactly comfortable with…nudity.”

_**< <**I can invite Thad and Annabelle to our house after school, so they can see your wolf there, if that works better for you? **> >**_ Blaine asked Kurt.

_**< <**That will be fine, **> >**_ Kurt agreed. _**< <**Thank you. **> >**_

Blaine turned to Thad and said, “If you want to see his wolf later, come by our house with Annabelle after rehearsal.” He then looked around at the rest of the group and added “In fact, why don’t all of you come by our place after rehearsal, so we can continue this conversation there since – Kurt’s right – the bell is going to ring soon.”

All of the boys agreed, then Wes added, “You know… I’m curious to find out which command type holds more authority. Like, if Blaine and Kurt both give us contradicting commands at the same time, whose command would we intuitively follow? Or if Blaine gives an order, would Kurt be able to order us to stop and do something else instead – and vice versa? Also, can Blaine order Kurt not to use his Seigneur-commands on us? I mean, aren’t these the exact reasons that we automatically respond _only_ to our _pack_ Alpha? And not just _any_ Alpha? So there aren’t conflicting mandates to follow? Or contention about leadership?”

“Those are some pretty heavy questions. But if you guys are willing, we could try to test that at the house later?” Blaine suggested. “I’m kind of curious to find out the answers to those myself.”

The bell rang, signaling the end of the period. Kurt hurried to unseal the door and take down the sound barrier while Thad was distracted with gathering his books. Blaine and the upperclassmen then headed off to their next class, while the remaining sophomores were now heading to lunch.

\---

After the Warblers meeting was called to order, Wes told the group that due to vacation starting tomorrow – after only a half day of classes – that they would be let out of rehearsal early today. Then he told them that the council had planned something fun to keep them loose and hopefully ready to get back to business when they return from break.

_**< <**We were supposed to have a full-length rehearsal, but the council decided at the last minute to shorten it, so we wouldn’t have to wait too much longer to meet up at our place and continue our conversation from lunch, **> >** _Blaine silently told Kurt, upon seeing Kurt’s confused expression at Wes’s announcement.

_**< <**Ah, makes sense, **> >** _Kurt replied. _**< <**I was wondering because when I asked David about it before lunch, he had made it seem like today was going to be a regular rehearsal; just slightly more laid back than normal. **> >**_

“What we want to do now,” Thad began, drawing their attention to the front of the room, “is ask all of you to write down a song from the Warblers repertoire – either something that we’ve rehearsed but never performed outside of this school, or a song that hasn’t been performed publicly within the last 3 months – that you would like for us to perform again; then drop that paper into the bowl in front of David. Then on a separate piece of paper write down a name of a song that we have never performed that you would like to see the Warblers try; and place that in the bowl in front of Wes. And finally, on another slip of paper, write the name of a Warbler that you would like to see sing lead on a song. Those names will go into this bowl here.” He pointed to the bowl in front of himself. “Next, we’re going to randomly select a song from each bowl and select an accompanying soloist from the last bowl. Each soloist will take the lead on whichever song got chosen for them. Choreography will be spontaneous; reprise old routines, do something new, whatever you feel like doing. We are hoping that this might spawn some _inspiration_ for songs, arrangements, or choreography for future performances; so feel free to get creative. We want everyone to have fun; but _please_ remember this is still an _actual_ rehearsal, so nothing _too_ crazy.”

Kurt quietly turned to Blaine and said, “With the exception of our Sectionals setlist, I don’t know what songs the Warblers have and haven’t done before. How am I supposed to choose songs for this?”

“Um…” Blaine hesitated, thinking about how to answer the question.

“What songs are you choosing?” Kurt asked instead.

“For one we’ve already done: Teenage Dream by Katy Perry,” Blaine replied. “Haven’t decided on the other one yet. Maybe a song by Matchbox 20?”

Jeff, who was sitting on the other side of Kurt, whispered to him, “Of course he’d pick a Katy Perry song. Go with Jesse McCartney; _Beautiful Soul_ ; that’s what I’m choosing anyway. I like the Warblers’ vocal arrangement on that one better.”

Kurt giggled and nodded then wrote down _Beautiful Soul_ for the first song. “Have the Warblers done any Britney Spears or Celine Dion?”

“No,” Blaine and Jeff replied, simultaneously.

“So, you guys have sung Katy Perry, but not Britney Spears?” Kurt asked, sounding scandalized. “That certainly needs to change.” He then wrote the name of a Britney song on his second paper, before writing his own name on the third paper. Kurt then placed each slip into its corresponding bowl and sat back down on the couch.

Once everyone had submitted their entries, Wes chose a song from the first bowl. “Our first song today… _Beautiful Soul_. And the soloist will be…” Choosing a name from the third bowl, he unfolded the paper and read it aloud to the room, “Junior Warbler Nick!”

Everyone got up and moved to the center of the room. They quickly took a second to discuss the arrangement, then began to sing. A lot of the boys were reprising the original choreography, while others were just dancing around and having fun. Blaine had grabbed Kurt to dance with him as he sang along, keeping his eyes on Kurt the whole time.

“That sounded amazing!” Kurt said, once the song ended. “And I know I’m still the new guy around here, but I’m pretty sure that vocal arrangement should be in contention for one of the numbers at Regionals. Not sure about the choreography though. But I loved how it sounded with Nick on lead.”

“Thanks, Kurt!” Nick replied.

“The council will keep that suggestion in mind,” David told him. “I’ll even add it to the official minutes as a formal motion.”

“For the record,” Nick said, “I second that motion.”

“Noted,” David replied. “And now for our second and final song of rehearsal this afternoon… Wes, will you do the honors.”

Wes selected a song from the second bowl then let out a heavy sigh before reading the title aloud, “ _Dirrty_ by Christina Aguilera. Before we go any further, I am putting it on the record that because the point of this rehearsal is to be a little more informal and casual, the council will allow this song to be performed today for _fun only_. Due to the suggestiveness of the song, it would not be an appropriate song selection for the Warblers to perform for an actual audience. Is that understood? Good. Okay; and the soloist will be…” He chose a name from the last bowl, read it to himself, then looked up, eyes locking with Kurt. “Our newest Warbler: Junior Warbler Kurt. Are you ready for this? Familiar with all the lyrics?”

“Oh, please!” Kurt scoffed. “I can handle this song in my _sleep_. Just one question before we begin. Are we doing the version that features Redman? Or the version without Redman’s rap break?”

“The radio edit; with _out_ the rap break, please,” Wes told him.

The Warblers again quickly discussed their vocal arrangement, and when they were ready started the song. Kurt began strutting around the room singing, gyrating his hips, as he danced. For most of the song, Blaine’s mouth hung open – unable to sing or even think – as he watched his mate’s suggestive dance moves. When the line _‘Now move your ass, I like that’_ was sung, Kurt smacked Blaine on the ass then winked at him. At one point in the song Kurt had been grinding on Blaine; he’d even pushed him down onto the couch and given him a lap dance.

When the song ended, Kurt accepted praise for his performance from his teammates, while looking very bashful and slightly embarrassed. Blaine remained seated on the couch, crossing his legs, hoping the rest of the team would not notice his strong reaction to Kurt’s performance.

Wes closed his eyes and muttered under his breath, “I should have expected that.” Then he banged the gavel to get everyone’s attention and dismissed the group from rehearsal. Walking over to Blaine, he asked, “I take it you’re going to need a few minutes?”

“Here? No. At home? Yes,” Blaine responded. “But if we don’t answer the door when you guys arrive at the house, just let yourselves in. I’ll leave the door unlocked for you. Oh, and I’m going to park in the garage, so there will be enough room for Jeff’s SUV and Annabelle’s car to park in the driveway. So, don’t worry if you don’t see my car in front of the house.”

“Annabelle is already waiting in the parking lot to pick me up,” Thad said, coming up behind Wes. He looked over at Blaine and added, “But we can run a few quick errands before going to your place if you need time?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Blaine told him. “We only need, like, fifteen minutes. Kurt is still a bit shy about…” he trailed off, waving his hands around trying to figure out how to word what he wanted to say before finishing with, “…engaging in sexual behaviors around others.”

“Never would have guessed that from today’s rehearsal,” Wes joked.

“Tell me about it,” Blaine agreed, while rolling his eyes and chuckling.

Jeff came over and said to Wes, “So, we,” he motioned to himself, Nick, and Trent, “are going to follow you back to your house in my car to drop yours off? Then we’re picking up David at his place on the way to Blaine’s?”

“Yup, that’s the plan,” Wes agreed.

\---

Once Kurt and Blaine arrived home, Blaine hurried to park the car in the garage, and race inside to the bedroom. “I can’t believe you gave me a lap dance in front of the Warblers,” Blaine said, as he stripped Kurt out of his uniform. “You’re usually so reserved around others when it comes to things like that.”

“Performing is different,” Kurt told him.

“We don’t have a lot of time,” Blaine reminded him. “Prep yourself.”

Snapping his fingers, he looked and Blaine and said, “Already done.”

“Ugh, I _love_ that you can do that!” Blaine removed his own uniform, tossing it onto the floor, then bent Kurt over the edge of the bed. In one quick thrust he pushed himself deep into Kurt’s awaiting hole. Without giving Kurt any time to adjust, he swiftly began pounding into him. “Fuck, baby. You looked so sexy singing that song today. And the way your voice got all gravelly when you were singing was the hottest thing I’ve ever heard. I wanted to fuck you right there in front of everyone. Then you started grinding on me and giving me a lap dance. So fucking hot!”

“I was just feeling the music; acting out the song, and putting on a show,” Kurt said. “Oh god, Blaine, that feels so good! Keep doing that; right there!” He moaned as he began rutting against the bed, while Blaine continued his relentless thrusting.

Blaine noticed Kurt’s rutting, and brought his hand down to smack Kurt on the ass. “No.” Pulling Kurt’s hips back away from the bed, Blaine then reached around and grabbed hold of Kurt’s erection, stroking in time with his thrusts. “This is mine.”

“Blaine! I’m gonna…” Kurt cried out.

“Do it. Cum,” Blaine ordered.

Kurt came over Blaine’s fist and onto the bed below him. A few more thrusts and Blaine tipped over the edge as well. They both took a few seconds to recover from their orgasms, then Blaine pulled out and sat on the edge of the bed next to Kurt. “I feel better now,” Blaine said, sighing in relief. “What about you, babe? You okay?”

Kurt smiled and nodded at him, then got up and walked over to his dresser. “I’m great,” he giggled. “Fantastic, actually.” He magically showered then slipped on a pair of flannel pajama pants, just as the doorbell rang.

“You go get the door; I’m going to go to the bathroom and clean up,” Blaine said, kissing Kurt before walking out of the room.

\---

Just as Kurt reached the door, it began to open. “Oh! Hi, sorry,” David said, seeing Kurt upon entering the apartment. “Blaine told us to let ourselves in if you didn’t answer. Didn’t realize you’d be standing right there.”

“It’s fine. Come on in,” Kurt replied. “Blaine will be out in a second. He’s just cleaning up.”

“Thad and Annabelle were right behind us,” Nick said. “But they got stuck at the traffic light, because Jeff apparently thinks yellow lights mean ‘speed up; hurry before it turns red’. They should be here in few seconds.”

“Hey, you don’t get to critique my driving when you still don’t have a license yet because you _failed_ your driving test,” Jeff retorted.

“Boys, let’s not argue please,” Kurt said.

The apartment door opened again, revealing Thad and Annabelle standing on the patio outside. “Knock, knock,” Thad said.

“Come on in, Thad,” Kurt told him.

Thad and Annabelle made their way into the apartment, taking a seat on the couch. A moment later Blaine walked out of the bathroom in a tank top style undershirt and a pair of sweatpants.

“Okay, so everyone’s here?” Blaine checked. “Thad, have you filled Annabelle in on everything yet?”

“I think so?” Thad replied. “I told her that Kurt is apparently an all-white wolf, and that we found out today he can use Alpha-like commands that not only work on non-pack werewolves, but on Alphas as well; and that we were coming over here so that we would hopefully see Kurt’s wolf, as well as learn more about the limitations of his Seigneur-commands. Did I miss anything?”

“Just that we believe that _all_ of the white wolves were able to use these commands,” Wes said. “Based on the stories we’ve been told, and the things we witnessed at lunch, it seems like the all-white werewolves’ ability to command might be _why_ they were considered nobility. So, these commands are not just a Kurt-specific thing.”

“Before we start testing the limitations and whatnot,” Kurt began, “I’m just gonna go into the bedroom to shift because I know that Thad has been dying to see my wolf since lunch. It wouldn’t be right to keep him waiting.”

“Why the bedroom?” Thad asked, confused, as Kurt left the room.

Blaine answered the question for him. “Kurt was raised with a human mentality about sex and nudity. He just became comfortable with _them_ ,” he pointed to the rest of the pack, “being naked around him. He still has issues with other people seeing _him_ naked.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Thad said, nodding. “I forgot he’s part human. He smells so much like a full-blooded Delta now that it’s hard to remember that he’s not.”

“I think he actually prefers it that way; that you forget he’s a hybrid,” Blaine said, just as Kurt’s wolf walked into the room. “There’s my beautiful soulmate.”

Annabelle gasped loudly as she slid off the couch and onto her knees, bowing her head in respect. “Monseigneur,” she greeted him.

Thad remained seated on the couch, but his mouth dropped open in shock, as he stared, unblinking, at the large white wolf in front of him.

_**< <**Can you please tell Annabelle that she can get up now? **> >**_ Kurt asked Blaine. _**< <**She doesn’t need to bow or kneel for me. **> >**_

“Annabelle? Kurt said you can get up and take your seat on the couch again; that you don’t have to kneel for him,” Blaine relayed.

“Thank you, Monseigneur,” she whispered, respectfully, as she sat back down next to Thad.

“Oh my god…” Thad finally spoke. “I mean…wow. I don’t know what I was expecting to see when you guys told me he was an all-white werewolf that was the size of an Alpha, but _this_ …this is beyond what I could have imagined. Do you guys have any idea how he has that coloring? Or _anything_?”

“No,” Blaine answered, shaking his head. “Wes’s dad ran some tests, but all he could tell us was that Kurt’s genetically coded to have white fur. But he can’t explain how or why. As far as his _size_ goes, Kurt already explained that at lunch.”

_**< <**Can I shift back now? **> >**_ Kurt asked. _**< <**Or do I need to remain a wolf for any of these test things that we’re doing? **> >**_

“Oh, um…” Blaine replied. “I think it should be fine to shift back. I don’t think your wolf is needed for any of the tests. If I’m wrong, you can always shift again later.”

Kurt nodded in reply, then trotted off to the bedroom. He was back in the living room a moment later wearing the pajama pants he had on earlier as well as a t-shirt. “So, what are we doing first?”

“Well, I’m most curious to find out which one of us the pack is going to follow if we both give them commands at the same time,” Blaine answered. Checking with the pack he added, “So, let’s go with that. You guys okay with that?”

Everyone agreed, so Blaine silent conferred with Kurt, _**< <**You ask everyone in the room to raise _just _their right hand; and I’ll ask them to raise just their left. Then we’ll see who does what? **> >**_ He saw Kurt nod in agreement, so he continued, _**< <**On three. One, Two… **> >**_

“Raise your left hand only,” Blaine Alpha-commanded; at the same time Kurt had said, “Raise only your right hand,” in his Seigneur-voice.

Blaine’s entire pack all followed his Alpha-command, including Kurt; however, Blaine, Thad, and Annabelle had all followed Kurt’s Seigneur-command.

“Okay, so I at the very least, I have control over my own pack in _this_ situation,” Blaine said. He and Kurt then released everyone from their respective commands. Looking at Kurt he added, “And it looks like you’re going to follow my command even when giving a conflicting one; and vice versa.”

“So, most likely, we will probably still follow Blaine’s orders even if Kurt commands us to stop; right?” Wes asked. “And Blaine should be able to override any command that Kurt gives us? Or no?”

“Looks that way,” Blaine said, unsure. “But there’s only one way to know for sure.”

“Go for it,” Wes said, agreeing to be their test subject.

_**< <**I’m going to tell him to raise his right hand. After he does that, I want you to tell him to put it down and raise his left hand instead. Okay? **> >**_ Blaine told Kurt.

“Okay,” Kurt agreed.

Using his Alpha-voice, Blaine said, “Wes, raise your right hand.”

Once Wes’s hand was in the air, Kurt used his Seigneur-voice to command, “Wes, put your right hand down and raise your left hand.”

Wes’s right hand remained in the air, but he also raised his left at Kurt’s command. “Um…” he said, hesitantly, looking back and forth between Blaine and Kurt, obviously not expecting that to have happened.

Blaine looked at Wes with a puzzled expression. “Huh. I wonder… At ease, Wes,” he said, releasing Wes from his command. Wes relaxed and dropped both hands down to his side. “Okay… I was able to release you from _both_ of our commands, which means I _am_ capable of overriding Kurt’s commands. And I _think_ what happened here was that, even though Kurt couldn’t override _my_ command – when he told you to put your hand down – he _was_ able to give you another order _on top_ of it; since the second part of his order – the part that told you to raise your left hand – didn’t conflict with my original command, you were compelled to follow him as well.”

“So, basically, you can override Kurt’s commands, but he can’t override yours?” Wes checked with Blaine. “And he can give _additional_ commands as long as they don’t conflict with what you’ve already ordered?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Blaine agreed. “At least, it seems that way so far. I mean, with the simultaneous commands, I ordered you to raise _only_ your left hand, and he told you to raise _just_ your right, so the two commands contradicted each other; therefore, you ignored his order. But this time, I didn’t specify that you couldn’t raise your other hand, so his order wasn’t a contradiction.” Breathing out a sigh of relief he quietly added, “Which means, I _do_ still maintain primary control over my pack; good to know.”

“I guess now the next question is: can either of you command the other one to give or _not_ give commands?” David asked. “Or to command us not to follow commands given by the other?”

“I’m a little hesitant to try this one out,” Blaine replied. “I don’t want to accidentally take away his ability to give commands. Surprisingly enough, I actually kind of like the idea that he can give commands _for_ me. Like, if I was in my wolf form, but he was still in human form, I could order – or ask if orders don’t work – him to command you guys to do something, without me having to shift back to give the order myself.”

“So, put a stipulation on the command,” Trent suggested. “Like, say, ‘for the next 5 minutes only don’t follow any of Kurt’s commands’, or something to that effect.”

“That’s actually a good idea,” Blaine agreed. “Thanks.” Looking around the room at his packmates he used his Alpha-voice and commanded, “For the next five minutes only, I do not want any of you to follow any of Kurt’s Seigneur-commands.”

“Weird…” Nick replied. “I heard the timbre of your voice change to inflict a command, but I didn’t _feel_ it.”

“Same here,” Jeff agreed.

“Kurt?” Blaine said, getting Kurt’s attention. “Wanna try giving them a command? See what happens?”

“I want all of you to raise your right hand,” he ordered, using his Seigneur-voice. Everyone in the room raised their right hand. He then released everyone and looked at Blaine. “So, you can’t order them not to obey me. And I’m pretty sure the opposite is true too, since you seem to have jurisdiction on pack commands.”

“Right…so let’s find out if I can order you to order them,” Blaine said. In his Alpha-voice he continued, “Kurt, I want you to use a Seigneur-command to order _everyone_ to raise their right hand.”

“I want all of you to raise your right hand,” Kurt commanded again.

Only the members of Blaine’s pack – including _Kurt_ – followed the command; Blaine, Thad, and Annabelle were the only ones that did not react to the order. Blaine looked around the room curiously, trying to figure out what happened, when Thad replied, “It was like Nick and Jeff said earlier. I could hear the inflection of his voice change, but I didn’t _feel_ the command. It basically sounded like when you give a general Alpha-command to your pack, and I happen to be in the room; I can tell it’s an order, but I’m not compelled to follow because I’m not pack.”

Blaine released everyone from the command then said, “Oh! So, only my pack followed the order because it came from _me_. That’s why Kurt raised his hand and I didn’t – even though he was the one speaking the order. It was _my_ command. I just used Kurt as a proxy.”

“So, you can order Kurt to give _us_ commands; but you can’t order him to give _non_ -pack and/or _other_ Alphas a command,” David summarized, mulling over the information.

“Yeah, looks that way,” Blaine agreed. “I could always _suggest_ it though. I think as long as it’s his _choice_ to give the command, it should work.”

“But can he order you to give us commands?” Jeff asked.

Blaine gave Kurt a meaningful look, so Kurt used his Seigneur-voice and said, “Blaine, order the pack to raise their right hand.”

Blaine smirked and replied, “Nope. Good to know that even though he can make me run around the room while screaming at the top of my lungs, he can’t make me order you guys to do the same.” Looking around the room, he added, “That was all of the tests, right? Or is there something else that I’m forgetting?”

“Well, we know that neither of you can command us not to obey the other; and we know that Blaine is able to command Kurt to order pack members only; but I think we still need to figure out if you can command each other to refrain from _giving_ commands to us,” Trent said, listing everything he could remember.

“Oh, right,” Blaine said. “Okay…” He cleared his throat and using his Alpha-voice said, “Kurt, for the next 5 minutes, I don’t want you giving _any_ Seigneur-commands.”

“I don’t think it worked,” Kurt replied.

“Try it,” Wes suggested.

“Blaine, Wes; both of you, raise your right hand,” Kurt ordered, in his Seigneur-voice.

Both boys immediately raised their hands. “Wait, Kurt,” Blaine said, before Kurt could speak again. “I want to try something before you release us.” Using his Alpha-voice, Blaine gave the release command. Nothing happened, and both boys continued to hold their right hands in the air. “Huh…so, I guess I can’t override a command you’ve given to the pack, if I’m _also_ following that command. Ugh. Okay,” he pouted. “Can you release us now?”

Kurt released them; then they tested if Kurt was able to make Blaine refrain from giving commands to the pack. The test proved that wasn’t possible; and since that was the last test they could think of, they decided to evaluate what they’d learned.

\---

Later in the evening, after everyone had left, Burt called to update Kurt on their plans for winter break. Carole and Finn were fine with Blaine spending the holiday at the house with them; so it was decided that Blaine would stay at the motel Sunday night, then join them Monday afternoon for Christmas Eve lunch, and he would stay at the house until Wednesday afternoon when Kurt and Blaine would head back to Westerville.

Blaine made a mental note to ask some of the pack if they would follow them up to Lima on Sunday, so he wasn’t completely alone at the motel the entire night.


	3. Chapter 3

“Mmm…Blaine,” Kurt moaned, as he stirred awake. His mate was spooned behind him, hips rocking back and forth with his cock nestled deep inside Kurt’s hole; arms wrapped around Kurt’s waist, fingertips gently teasing his cock; while his lips trailed kisses along the back of Kurt’s neck and shoulder blades.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Blaine whispered into his ear, as he continued to gently fuck into him.

“Yes, it is. God that feels amazing!” he replied, pushing his ass back a little to try and feel more of Blaine. “I love when you wake me up like this.”

“And I love waking you up like this,” Blaine agreed. “But I can’t take all the credit this time.”

“Yes, just like that,” Kurt said, arching his back and leaning his head on Blaine’s shoulder when Blaine moved his lips to the sides of Kurt’s neck. “Unh! Feels so good. What, uh, what do you mean you can’t take all the credit?”

Blaine giggled, as he began stroking Kurt in a loose grip, and speeding up the pace of his thrusts slightly. “It means… you talk in your sleep. You were moaning… and whimpering… and _begging_. And just as I began to debate getting up to retrieve the lube out of the drawer, or borrowing your magic to prep you, you made up my mind for me. By magically prepping yourself and _ordering_ me to fuck you; slow, and gentle, and teasing. So, that’s what I’m doing. I’m being a good mate and following my man’s orders.”

“I, uh, ooh… I, uh, _ordered_ you to fuck me?” he questioned between moans. “Like, order as in demand? Or order as in Seigneur-command?”

“Seigneur-command,” Blaine replied. “But even if you didn’t command me, I would still be doing this right now; just maybe not as slowly as I am now.”

“Oh, well, uh…you can speed up if you want,” Kurt told him.

“Actually, I can’t,” he replied, teasingly, before gently sucking on Kurt’s neck. “Not unless you release me from your command.”

“Fuck; right; forgot about that,” Kurt said. He released Blaine from the command, and when Blaine didn’t immediately begin to move faster asked, “I thought you wanted to go faster?”

“I believe what I said,” Blaine began, keeping his current pace, “is that if you hadn’t ordered me to go slow, I’d probably be moving a bit faster. But, honey, just because I’m free of your command now, doesn’t mean I’m going to ignore what you want. You wanted slow and gentle, so I’m giving you slow and gentle.”

“Thank you,” Kurt whispered. “But can we… can we change positions? I want… I want to see your face. I want to kiss you.”

“As you wish,” Blaine said. He kissed Kurt’s cheek, then slowly pulled out of him. Blaine rolled Kurt onto his back, then positioned himself between Kurt’s legs. Lifting Kurt’s legs, and wrapping them around his waist, Blaine carefully slid back into Kurt, and slowly began rocking his hips back and forth. “Better?” he asked, as he leaned down to give Kurt a soft, open mouth kiss.

_**< <**Much better, **> >**_ Kurt hummed contentedly.

“You are so beautiful right now,” Blaine said, brushing Kurt’s hair out of his eyes. “And you feel incredible; and I don’t just mean physically. Your emotions right now…you’re so open, and honest, and vulnerable, and _happy_. The amount of love and happiness radiating off of you right now…it’s breathtaking. I _love_ feeling your emotions when you are this happy.”

“Well, you’re the reason I’m so happy right now,” Kurt told him. “Ooh, Blaine, right there! Yes! Can you go a little faster?”

“Anything for you, beautiful,” he said, picking up the pace, and leaning down to kiss Kurt again.

Kurt’s hands reached up to grab Blaine’s ass; as he was groping Blaine, he was also pushing him forward, so that he would go deeper into Kurt. _**< <**More. Need more. **> >**_

Blaine’s began thrusting harder as he picked up the pace yet again. “Like this?”

“Yes; just like that,” he agreed. “Oh! Can we stay in bed like this all day? Please?”

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Blaine replied, giggling. “I would love to say yes, but we have to go to school because my French teacher is the devil incarnate. Even though we’ve technically taken our final already, she’s giving us a huge test today, to make sure people don’t skip her class because of vacation. I need to be there to take that test if I want to pass her class.”

“Ugh! Not fair,” he whined. “Oh god, Blaine, that feels amazing…” Kurt slowly began to brush a finger up and down the crack of Blaine’s ass a few times before using magic to cover his finger in lube then work that finger into Blaine’s hole. “Is this okay?”

“Mmm… More than okay,” Blaine moaned.

“Hmm…” Kurt hummed, smirking. He added a second finger alongside the first one and added, “What about this?”

Blaine’s hips stuttered along with his breathing, “Oh, yeah; totally okay. Fuck, baby, you’re going to make me cum if you keep doing that.”

“Well then, I guess you’re just gonna have to find a way to make me cum first then, aren’t you?” he teased.

“If you insist,” Blaine replied. He took hold of Kurt’s erection in a tight grip and began stroking vigorously. When he began to feel his orgasm approaching, he leaned down to bite Kurt hard on his shoulder.

Kurt came, howling loudly, fingers still wiggling around inside of Blaine. It only took a few more seconds before Blaine finally reached climax himself, spilling his orgasm into his mate. Kurt slid his fingers out of Blaine as they took a few seconds to come down from their highs. Blaine finally pulled out of Kurt then collapsed onto the bed next to him, burying his face in Kurt’s neck, as he cuddled up close to him.

“I really don’t want to move,” Kurt began, hesitantly, “but we really should shower and eat if we’re actually going to school today.”

“I don’t want to move either,” Blaine agreed, nuzzling Kurt. “I like your idea of staying in bed all day instead. Stupid French test; ruining all my fun.”

“Well, at least it’s the last French test you’re ever going to take,” he replied. “Once winter break is over, the new semester will begin, and you’ll be back in Spanish class again.”

“The only downside to that is that I’ll no longer have you to tutor me,” Blaine said, playfully. “I kind of like your methods of giving me kisses and/or removing your own clothing when I get answers correct; even if it did cause me to get hard in class while recalling information for quizzes and tests.”

“I can still tutor you, you know,” Kurt reminded him. “And French isn’t the only subject I can help you with either.”

“I think I’m going to have to take you up on that offer,” he told him.

“We’ll discuss it more after break,” Kurt said. “Right now, we need to get out of this bed. So, why don’t I go start breakfast, while you shower; then I can shower while you eat?”

“Or…” Blaine said, flirtatiously, watching his fingers walk up Kurt’s chest. “How about we go make breakfast together, then I ride you while we eat? There should be enough time for us to take a quick shower after, and if not, well… isn’t that what magic is for?”

“I like the way you think,” he replied, as Blaine scooped him up in arms, and carried him out into the kitchen.

\---

“I can’t believe you used to me to cheat on your French test!” Kurt said, as they walked back into their apartment after school.

“I did not use you to _cheat_ ,” Blaine replied. “All I did was ask you how to spell a few words, so that I wouldn’t get points taken off, or worse – gotten the _entire_ answer marked as wrong because _one_ word was misspelled. And you answered me! So, if you’re going to be mad at someone, be mad at yourself. You could have ignored me or told me to bugger off. You didn’t have to reply – with the correct answers.”

“I thought you were _studying_ for your test; not _taking_ it,” Kurt told him. “I was so confused by the fact that my calculus teacher was showing the class a nature documentary that I didn’t even register what class you were in.”

“Why was your _calculus_ teacher showing you a _nature_ documentary?” Blaine asked, changing the subject.

“Because it was the last class of the semester, and he didn’t feel like teaching today,” he replied. “And that was the only video he could find in the classroom.” Before he could say anything else, his phone began to ring. Pulling it out of his pocket, Kurt squinted at confusion upon seeing his father’s name on the caller ID. “Hey, dad,” Kurt said, answering his phone.

“Hey, buddy, listen…” Burt replied, hesitantly. “We just got a call from your grandparents. They’re coming over for Christmas dinner on Tuesday.”

“You haven’t told them anything about me and Blaine, have you?” Kurt asked, alarmed. “Or about what happened at the cabin last full moon?”

“The only thing I told them about you and Blaine is that he’s your boyfriend, and he’s joining us for Christmas dinner,” Burt began. “But I didn’t say anything about what you guys really are or anything like that; I wouldn’t do that. I promised your mom I would never tell them about what she is; about what _you_ are. I know how important it is that no one knows, Kurt. If I never said anything before, why would I suddenly tell them now?”

“But, I mean, you didn’t say anything about anything we’ve learned about _magic_ or _warlocks_ or anything like that, right?” Kurt asked.

“Why would I mention any of that?” Burt replied, confused. “It has nothing to do with them. And you know how your grandmother is; she never would understand or believe any of it. If I try to tell her that I supposedly have magic I can’t use, or that magic is what’s been keeping you alive your whole life, she’d think I dove off the deep end into cuckoo land.”

Blaine gave Kurt a confused look, which Kurt waved off, then silently told him, _**< <**Tell you later. **> >** _To his father, Kurt continued, “Yeah, I know, dad. I guess I’m just a little paranoid is all. I just really, _really_ need to keep this whole magic thing quiet. I can’t let _anyone_ that doesn’t already know about it to find out. Knowing about magic is _way_ more dangerous than knowing about werewolves.”

“I get it,” Burt told him. “And I agree. My lips are sealed. But the point I was _trying_ to make earlier, is that the dinner table is going to have a few more people than expected. And if I hadn’t’ve already talked it over with Carole, and told you that Blaine could join us, I’d say that maybe Blaine shouldn’t be here; just so we don’t stir things up too much. But Carole is expecting him now. In fact, she’s the one that brought up that Blaine would be here when I was talking to them. Pretty sure she could sense my hesitation and did that just so I couldn’t backtrack on Blaine’s invite.

“Look, I know my folks aren’t the most… _educated_ …when it comes to homosexuality, but they do _try_ to understand and be supportive,” he continued. “So, if you and your boyfriend could just go easy on them… I know how defensive you can get when they unknowingly say something that you find offensive or derogatory in nature. And before you yell at me: I’m not saying don’t defend yourself. I’m just saying: don’t jump down their throats in order to do so. Maybe, _politely_ , try to explain to them why what they said was wrong. Because chances are, they don’t realize they’re offending you. They _are_ willing to learn from their mistakes; but they are just as stubborn and pig-headed as you are. So, if you start yelling and screaming at them again, they will brush you off as an immature brat and won’t take anything you say seriously. And Blaine seems like a nice, polite kid and all, but I know how protective he is of you too. So, I’m warning you both now to be _civil_. This is _my_ holiday dinner, and I won’t tolerate either of you fighting with your grandparents.”

“They _say_ they are willing to learn, but they don’t _act_ like they are,” Kurt muttered. “Fine. I’ll be civil. I’ll try to keep my temper in check. But I _will_ defend myself – and _my relationship_ – if I have to. And I’m pretty sure I will have to.”

“Don’t try to goad them into an argument either, Kurt,” Burt added, sternly. “I know you. You love using passive-aggressive tactics, so you can play innocent and claim self-defense. And I’m telling you now: _don’t_.”

“I will play the perfect, polite grandson,” Kurt agreed. “As long as they keep their homophobic comments to themselves, then you don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Oh boy…” Burt muttered into the phone, breathing out a heavy sigh. “Alright, well, I just wanted to update you on the Christmas plans. I gotta get back to work. I’ll talk to you later, alright?”

“Yeah, bye, dad; love you,” Kurt said.

“Love you too, kiddo,” Burt said, just before the line cut out.

\---

Watching Kurt put his phone back in his pocket, Blaine hesitantly asked, “So… what did your dad mean? About your grandparents not having anything to do with magic? Or believing in it?”

Kurt sighed, taking a seat on the couch. “I never told my dad that both of his parents are warlocks. I thought about it, but… I just couldn't do it. And since Dr. Yeung had just told my dad that magic _could_ be inherited but didn’t _specify_ that inheriting it from a parent was the _only_ way to acquire magic, my dad has no idea that his magic came from his parents. It was the pack that told me otherwise. My dad has no idea how or why he has magic, or how it got bound. For all he knows, both the acquisition and the binding of his magic were freak accidents. And since his parents have _always_ pretended to have no knowledge of anything supernatural, and always sort of silently mocked people that believe in something that’s so ‘obviously fake’, he’s had no reason to believe that they are actually a part of the supernatural world themselves; nor would he think that they would be able to offer him any answers or explanations for the questions he has.”

“I don’t get it,” Blaine said, confused. “Why wouldn’t you tell him? Don’t you think he has a right to know?”

“Because… Knowing that the only way to possess magic is if you inherit it from a parent, doesn’t necessarily mean that _both_ of his parents have it; it just means that at least _one_ of them does. I’m proof of that,” Kurt told him. “There is no way for me to tell him that I know they are _both_ warlocks without telling him how I know – that I read it in my mom’s journal.”

“Okay…?” Blaine replied, not understand what Kurt was trying to say. “So, tell him how you know.”

“And deal with the fallout?” he asked, looking at Blaine as though he were crazy. “I don’t think so. Telling him that my mom knew both of his parents are warlocks, when she never said a word about it to either of us, would only lead to me having to explain about the hex that was put on her, and the reasons for it.”

“But why is that a bad thing?” Blaine asked him.

“You’ve met my dad,” he began. “Do you honestly think that he _wouldn’t_ confront his parents about the fact that they’ve been _lying_ to him his _entire_ life? Do you think he’d be _understanding_ about the fact that his mother put a _hex_ on my mom before they got married? Do you think that the truth about mine or my mom’s pedigree would not have made its way into that conversation somehow – even accidentally? Do you think the fact that I can use magic would not have been brought up at all? Because I think that if I told my dad about what I know, all Hell would have broken loose.

“Not to mention, I have no idea what the terms of the hex my grandma put on my mom were. What if me telling my dad triggers something? Because the info came from my mom’s journal; and therefore came directly from her? I’m not risking it! My dad doesn’t even care about his magic, or lack thereof; he barely even acknowledges that _I_ have magic. Even though I told him I can use it now, he still considers it to be some background thing that’s keeping me alive and healthy, and not something I have control over and can manipulate,” Kurt explained. “I think he’s happier – and _safer_ – not knowing.”

Blaine nodded along with Kurt’s explanation as he spoke. “Okay; when you put it that way, I can see why you didn’t tell him. Too many variables to control; and too much to risk if the wrong thing gets said.”

“Exactly,” he agreed. “Now… To completely change the topic back to what I had _wanted_ to talk to you about before I got sidetracked… Saturday. Do we know what is happening yet? Or do we have to wait for your brother to arrive tomorrow?”

“What do you mean?” Blaine asked.

“Like, when are we going out to the cabin? Are we driving Cooper and Caitlin there? Are the other guys in the pack coming with us? Or meeting us there?” Kurt wondered.

“Oh… No, my brother and Cait will be using my mom’s car while they are town, so we don’t have to worry about them,” Blaine began. “And the other guys are going to meet us there too. Since we are driving to Lima afterwards, I thought we should drive up separately. It makes more sense to leave straight from the cabin rather than coming back here and _then_ driving up to Lima; don’t you think?”

“Yeah, that’s true,” Kurt agreed. “So, we’re taking my car to the cabin then? You’re going to have to give me directions, since I’m not too sure how to get there from here. And, I love you, but you’re not driving my car again.”

“That’s fine,” Blaine told him. “It’s actually not that hard to get to. But the turn off for the dirt road is sort of hard to notice unless you’re looking for it; it’s not exactly marked for visibility – since it is a private thruway and we don’t want to draw attention to it – and none of the ‘private property’ signs can be seen from the main highway; they’re just there in case someone takes a wrong turn or feels like exploring.”

“Okay. So, we’re going to have to remember to pack enough clothes and stuff for, what, four days? Instead of just overnight.” he said. “But what time are we leaving here? And what’s happening while we’re at the cabin? Last time, we went up super early because I was a wolf and couldn’t shift back, the rest of the pack stayed at your brother’s cabin, and I was bored out of my mind for most of the night.”

“We usually head up to the cabin around 4pm,” Blaine began. “We’ll turn on the generator, get a fire going in the fireplace, make something to eat…just hang out until it’s time to shift. It will probably be cold enough that we’ll have to start a fire in the outdoor firepit too; just in case our wolves need some extra warmth during the night. Once we shift, we’ll do what we did last time. Run around, play, wrestle, hunt…because despite eating dinner before we shift, you _will_ get hungry for a full meal after you shift. You were only bored last time because your wolf genes weren’t fully stabilized, and you didn’t have access to the majority of your werewolf instincts.

“The boys are staying in our cabin with us this time,” he continued. “Last month, you didn’t know them, and we had _just_ mated. Privacy was a necessity. This time… Even if Cooper wasn’t going to be there, they would _still_ be staying with us in our cabin. Pack bonds during a full moon can be very profound; and I prefer being with my pack. That’s why last time, even though the pack didn’t sleep in the same cabin as us, they were never too far away while we were outside. I have no idea how my brother and Caitlin can stomach being so far away from their pack during a full moon; it would drive me insane. Maybe it’s different for me because I’m an Alpha, and I feel a responsibility to look after them, but I like having my pack _close_ by. And I know you’re not…entirely comfortable with nudity, but –”

“Except,” Kurt said, cutting off whatever Blaine was going to say, “I think I’ve bonded with the pack enough that I’d be okay with it. As long as it’s _just_ them. That’s kind of why I want to know what’s going on with your brother and his mate. Because I feel like I could be okay with _brief_ periods of my own nudity around the pack; but if your brother and his mate are there…I will be extremely uncomfortable the entire time, and I just don’t know if I can do that, you know?”

Blaine blinked in surprise. “Really? Okay… Well, Cooper and Cait most likely won’t even go anywhere near our cabin; at least on Saturday anyway. They’ll probably show up 30 minutes to an hour before the moon is full, hang out in or around his cabin, then once they’ve shifted, they will eventually join us here-and-there throughout the night. They will go back to his cabin later when they get tired. Most likely they’ll come over to our cabin in the morning to join us for breakfast or lunch though. The cabin is not soundproof, so we’ll be able to hear them approach; which will give you enough time to get dressed if you haven’t done so already. So, I really don’t think you’re going to have to worry about being naked around either of them.”

“That’s a relief,” he replied.

“But…” Blaine hesitated, “you do realize that when we wake up in the morning, the entire pack is going to be completely naked, right? I mean, you’ve seen the cabin. The beds are just a bunch of oversized mattress pads pushed together on the floor to make one giant bed. So, not only are you going to wake up naked in the same _room_ as the pack, you’re going to wake up naked in the same _bed_ as them. And, as wolves, we tend to cuddle each other when we sleep; _especially_ when it’s cold out. Do you know how often I’ve woken up with someone’s hard dick pressed against my back? Or had someone’s dick staring me in the face as soon as I opened my eyes? Or both? Obviously, it’s completely _non_ -sexual in every way possible. I think of those guys as my brothers. They’re my family, you know? But with the way you were raised…if you’re not used to it, it could be a little uncomfortable.”

“It’s not _their_ nudity that bothers me; not anymore,” Kurt told him. “I think the pack has slept over here enough that I’m _used_ to seeing them naked – either because they decided to sleep naked or because they walk around the house naked while getting ready in the morning. And I’m pretty sure that all of them have been hard while naked at some point too. I think I even saw Jeff start to jerk himself off once, before he disappeared into the bathroom.” He took a deep breath and in a shy voice added, “Besides, there’s lots of blankets in the cabin; I can cover myself if I get uncomfortable, right?”

“I’m really proud of you,” Blaine replied, smiling softly.

Kurt gave him a confused look and asked, “Huh? For what?”

“For being willing to step out of your comfort zone,” he answered. “I know how deeply ingrained that human mindset regarding nudity was. I know how much you struggled with it. I could tell you were becoming more and more comfortable with the pack being naked around you, but to hear that you think you’ll be comfortable being naked around them is a huge step forward for you. And I’m just really proud of you for that.”

\---

The next morning, while Kurt and Blaine were eating breakfast, the intercom buzzer on the interior apartment door rang. Kurt got up from the table and walked over to open it, revealing Pam standing on the other side, out in the hall. “Oh, hey, Pam,” Kurt said, motioning her into the apartment. “What’s up?”

Pam smiled sweetly at him. “Hi, Kurt.” Glancing over at the kitchen table, she frowned slightly and said, “Oh, you boys have already eaten? I was coming down here to see if you two wanted to go out for breakfast with me and Marc before we go pick up Cooper and Caitlin at the airport.”

“Sorry, mom,” Blaine replied. “Last night, when dad mentioned that you were going out for breakfast, I thought he meant just the two of you. I didn’t realize Kurt and I were invited.”

“That’s because I just thought to invite you a few minutes ago,” Pam told him. “I thought if we ate someplace nearby, then we could easily drop you back off here before having to leave for the airport. But since you’ve already eaten, Marc and I can just stop somewhere closer to Columbus.” She gasped, held up a finger indicating to wait a minute, then pulled a plastic keycard out of her purse. “Before I forget…here is your room key for the motel. I figure I should give this to you now before your brother gets here. Don’t need him asking questions about why you might need a motel room, do we? You are in room 112. You’re already checked in; and the room is paid for in full. My credit card is on file if you need it to rent a movie, or order food, or anything; I’m trusting you won’t go too crazy with it. But from what you’ve told me, you probably won’t be spending too much time at the motel anyway, so you might not even use my card. And I also deposited some money in your bank account too; that way you’ll have plenty of money for gas, plus some extra in case you’d rather go out to eat or something.”

“Thank you, momma,” he said. Blaine got up, took the keycard from her, and kissed her on the cheek. “You’re the best.”

“You’re welcome, sweetie,” Pam replied. “But your father is getting impatient,” she tapped the side of her head to indicate Marc was talking to her telepathically, “so I’m going to head upstairs now. I’ll text you when we’re almost home. Okay?”

“Alright. Thanks, mom!” Blaine called after her, as she left the apartment.

\---

A few hours later, while the boys were discussing lunch plans, Kurt sidetracked their conversation to ask about something that had been on his mind all morning. “Not that I’m complaining, but why didn’t you want to go with your parents to pick your brother up from the airport?”

Blaine hesitated for a moment before answering, “It’s not that I didn’t _want_ to go; more like, I _couldn’t_ go. I know my dad has that big SUV, and my mom’s car isn’t that much smaller than his, but both of their cars are made more for carrying _cargo_ than they are _people_. Putting six adults in a car with five seatbelts isn’t totally legal; and I can’t exactly go without you, even if I wanted to – which I _don’t_ – but still…even having five adults in the car is a bit of a tight squeeze, and not very comfortable.”

“Oh…okay,” Kurt replied. “So, you’re okay with waiting here?”

“Yeah; I am,” Blaine answered. “I love my brother, but I don’t have to see him _the second_ he steps off the plane. I can wait for another hour or so, until they get home. Besides, ever since he moved to L.A. I’ve gotten used to seeing him only once or twice a year. Sure, it was hard at first – especially when I was younger – because werewolf families tend to be more close-knit than human families…but I’ve adapted; even more so since I turned sixteen and started my own pack.”

“You say that as though turning sixteen happened _years_ ago,” Kurt said, giving Blaine a pointed look while arching an eyebrow at him. “In case you’ve forgotten: you’re _still_ sixteen. You won’t turn seventeen for another _two months_.”

“I know…” he agreed. “But it _feels_ like forever ago. I’ve gone through so many changes within the past year; transitioning from a juvenile werewolf into an adult, being coerced into leaving my old pack before I felt ready, starting a new pack on my own, navigating how to be a good pack leader, losing a pack member to another pack, meeting my soulmate – my soulmate who also happens to be both a warlock _and_ an all-white werewolf, then there was also everything we’ve had to deal with in the past month…” Blaine sighed. “This year has just been one long rollercoaster of never-ending changes.”

Blaine’s phone chimed with an incoming text message. He picked it up off the coffee table to read what it said. “My mom wants to know if we’ve eaten lunch yet; and if not, do we want pizza. She said they are about to order and will be home in about 20 minutes.”

“Tell her I will love her forever if she gets a large pizza with sausage and green peppers on it,” Kurt replied, batting his eyelashes at Blaine.

Blaine laughed and nodded as he typed out a reply to his mother.

\---

“They’re home!” Blaine said, excitedly, as he read the text his mother just sent him. He grabbed Kurt’s hand and pulled him up off the couch, then tugged him over toward the hallway door and upstairs to his parents’ kitchen. Blaine bounced on his toes, as his family made their way over to the dining room table. As soon as he saw his brother Blaine cried out, “Cooper!” then ran over to give his brother a giant bearhug.

‘Hey, squirt!” Cooper replied, returning the hug. “I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Blaine told him. “And don’t call me ‘squirt’.” He pulled away from the hug then gave Caitlin a warm hug as well. “Good to see you again, Cait. You look lovely as always.”

“Thank you, Blaine,” she replied.

“Oh, and this must be your mate?” Cooper said, reaching a hand out toward Kurt. “Cooper Anderson. Nice to meet you.”

“Kurt Hummel,” Kurt replied, shaking Cooper’s hand. “And the pleasure is all mine.” He exchanged pleasantries with Caitlin as well, before they all took their seats at the table to eat lunch.

Cooper opened one of the pizza boxes and made a sour face. “Okay. Who thought it was a good idea to put _vegetables_ on a _pizza_?”

“What’s wrong with putting vegetables on a pizza?” Kurt asked, reaching out to take the offending box away from Cooper.

“Pizza toppings must consist of meat and cheese; nothing else,” Cooper replied. “Anything else is just wrong.”

“Well then, I guess it’s a good thing you’re not the one eating it,” Kurt told him, before taking a huge bite out of a slice of pizza. “Mmm…”

_**< <**Don’t start moaning at the table, Kurt, **> >**_ Blaine silently told him while trying not to laugh at the shocked expression on Cooper’s face. _**< <**I really don’t want to get hard right now. Because then I’ll have to drag you back downstairs to make you deal with that. **> >**_

**_< <_** _If I wasn’t so hungry right now, I’d test that theory, **> >**_ Kurt replied, smirking. _**< <**So, I’ll be good and refrain from moaning over how good my food is…for now. **> >**_

Looking at Blaine, Cooper asked, “Are you really going to let your mate speak to me that way?”

“ _Let_ me?” Kurt asked, irked.

Blaine could see Kurt gearing up to give Cooper a verbal smackdown and jumped in before an argument could start. “Whoa! Kurt, calm down, sweetie. Please? Cooper wasn’t being serious. It was a joke; a really _bad_ joke, but a joke nonetheless. He was trying to make fun of me; implying that I’m not a very good Alpha. Just breathe for a second.” Turning his attention to Cooper, he added, “First of all, you know better than to make stupid jokes like that. I’m not his _master_ , I’m his _mate_. Just because I have a higher rank than him, doesn’t mean I control him. He’s free to speak however he wants to whomever he wants. Secondly, Kurt didn’t say or do anything wrong. Just because you don’t agree with him doesn’t mean you get to be a dick.”

Cooper smirked, glanced at Kurt really quick, then looked back over at Blaine. “I thought you liked dick.”

“Not when it’s coming from you, I don’t,” Blaine replied, with a smug expression.

Pointing at Blaine, Cooper nodded and replied, “Touché, little brother.”

\---

After lunch, Cooper patted Blaine on the shoulder and asked, “Help me take our luggage downstairs?” as he motioned to the living room where he left his and Caitlin’s suitcases by the front door.

“You mean _up_ stairs, right?” Blaine corrected.

“Uh, last I checked the guest suite was down in the basement,” Cooper replied, staring at his brother as though Blaine had just told him the Earth was flat.

“The only thing down in the basement is my apartment,” Blaine told him. “And I’m fairly certain mom told you that Kurt and I live down there now; and that you’d be staying in your old bedroom – _upstairs_.”

“Yeah…but Caity and I always stay in the guest suite,” Cooper said, confused. “So I just figured you’d stay upstairs while we were in town.”

Blaine sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s not a _guest suite_ anymore, Cooper. It hasn’t been for almost a _year_ now. It’s my _home_. It’s where I _live_. With my mate.”

Cooper looked at Kurt and asked, “You don’t mind us staying down there though, right?”

“Actually, Cooper…” Kurt replied, hesitantly, “I do mind. There’s only one bedroom downstairs; and it’s where _we_ sleep.” He motioned between Blaine and himself. “I mean, you would never offer to let Blaine and I stay in your master bedroom if we went to visit you in L.A., would you? No, of course not. Because it’s _your_ bedroom. So, why are you insisting we give up _our_ bedroom to you when there are several empty – _unused_ – bedrooms upstairs for you to choose from? All of my personal belongings are downstairs, and I’m not exactly comfortable with other people sleeping in my bed and touching my stuff.”

“Oh…” Cooper said, taken aback, as it slowly dawned on him why Blaine had been protesting him staying down in the basement. Then he watched as Blaine grabbed two suitcases and headed upstairs to Cooper’s old bedroom.

\---

Sitting in the living room, the family had been talking for the past hour, catching up on everything that had been going on in their lives. “Okay, Cooper,” Caitlin said, putting a hand on Cooper’s arm to get his attention, “that’s enough about you for now. I want to hear more about how your brother met his mate.”

“Oh, well, Kurt goes to Dalton with me,” Blaine began, before Cooper could protest. “He just transferred there last month and was granted an audition with the Warblers. As soon as he stepped into the room, my head started spinning; but _somehow_ , Kurt managed to keep his cool and perform his audition piece flawlessly. As soon as the council dismissed him, so they could all vote on his acceptance, I jumped out of my seat and offered to walk him out. Once the doors closed, I Alpha-commanded Wes and David to continue rehearsal without me; then Kurt and I came back here…and that was that. We drove up to his dad’s house two days later to pack up his stuff and move him in.”

“So is this going to be your first full moon together?” she asked. “Or were you together before the last one? I don’t remember when you told us you met exactly.”

“We met the day before the full moon last month, so technically this will be our second together,” Kurt replied. “But I feel like this time will be a completely different experience because I actually know the pack now. I’ve bonded with them. Last time, I literally didn’t meet them until we were all at the cabin; despite having been in the same room as all of them the day prior, for my audition. Last month, during the full moon, I felt awkward and uncomfortable around everyone because I’d never had a pack before, so I didn’t know how to act around them. So, in a way, I kind of feel like this weekend will be my first _real_ full moon experience with Blaine and the pack.”

“Wait,” Cooper interjected. “You’ve never had a pack before? How is that possible?”

Kurt and Blaine had discussed what they were and were not willing to share with Cooper and Caitlin prior to their arrival. They discussed how they would explain some of Kurt’s quirks, and how to explain some of his family dynamics without revealing that Kurt was a hybrid. They knew that eventually Cooper would have to learn that Burt is human, but they planned to leave that fact vague for now; though, Kurt had an idea on how he was going to explain it when it came time. They’d even talked everything over with Blaine’s parents so that they wouldn’t accidentally say something that Kurt didn’t want known.

Kurt shared a look with Blaine before answering, “It was clear from a very early age that I was… _different_ than most of my peers. As a result, my parents prioritized blending in with a _human_ society. I was raised to think and act like a human; trained to ignore a lot of werewolf instincts – even in private. I was given very little information about werewolf culture, so I wouldn’t accidentally draw attention to myself by saying or doing something ‘out of the ordinary’. In my house, no one ever shifted unless it was a full moon; and even then…it wasn’t something we looked forward to. My mom didn’t like the idea of me being around other werewolves, so my parents kept me pretty sheltered growing up. And after she passed away, my dad did his best to continue raising me in that same manner. The only reason I began attending public school was because the cost of tutors and babysitters was becoming too much; and after a few years, public school was no longer a safe environment for me, so my dad scraped together enough money to send me to Dalton. Meeting Blaine has opened my eyes to so many different aspects of werewolf life that I had previously never known about. And I still have a lot to learn.”

“Wow…” Caitlin murmured, softly. “Can I ask…What was so different about you that made them want to hide you away?”

Kurt took a deep breath then released it slowly. “Well, I might as well tell you now, since you’re just going to find out at the cabin on Saturday anyway. My wolf’s fur is completely white.”

After a short pause of complete silence, Cooper suddenly busted out laughing. “Oh my god. You really had me going there for a minute. Being all dramatic and serious; then – _BAM_ – you come in with the punchline. Classic! You really know how to tell a story.”

“Cooper. He’s not joking,” Blaine said, seriously.

“Of course he is, Blainey,” Cooper replied, waving off his brother’s comment. “Everyone knows that the all-white werewolves went extinct sometime during the 9th century. There’s no way he could have solid white fur.”

Pam looked over at her eldest son. “Cooper, honey, Kurt really is an all-white werewolf. I’ve seen his wolf with my own two eyes.”

“So have I,” Marc interrupted. “They’re telling you the truth.”

Cooper looked around the room and took in the serious faces of his family members. “But…but how? It shouldn’t be possible.”

This time it was Kurt that answered. “We don’t _know_ how. That’s why my family wanted to keep me so segregated from other werewolves. They didn’t want me to be taken away to be dissected and have tests run on me; or for me to be exploited in some way.”

“No…no, this can’t be real,” Cooper said, disbelieving. “White werewolves are _extinct_.”

“Are you sure about that?” Kurt asked. Seeing Cooper’s confused, yet conflicted, expression Kurt continued, “You sure they didn’t just go into hiding? There could be hundreds, maybe even thousands, of white werewolves all around the globe. Maybe they just don’t want to be found. Just because you haven’t heard about someone seeing one – until now – doesn’t mean that they don’t exist.”

“You’d think if someone saw one, people would know about it, wouldn’t they?” Caitlin speculated. “I mean, people talk; and that’s big news. Even if they were just rumors…someone would say something, right? I mean, I’ve heard lots of rumors in human communities about werewolves being real – despite how much of a low profile we try to keep; so I’m sure if a werewolf had seen an all-white wolf, there would be rumors in our communities about the possibility of them still existing, right? But…there hasn’t even been a _hint_ of a rumor. At least, none that I’m aware of.”

Sharing another look with Blaine, Kurt silently asked him, _**< <**Should I mention the commands? **> >**_

**_< <_** _That’s completely up to you, **> >**_ Blaine replied. _**< <**I’ll back whatever decision you make. **> >**_

“Unless they _couldn’t_ talk about it,” Kurt said, answering Caitlin.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I mean it’s very possible that if someone happened to see an all-white werewolf that didn’t want to be found, they would be _ordered_ not to tell anyone,” Kurt replied.

“Ordered by who?” Cooper asked.

“The white wolf,” Kurt said.

“How?” he asked, skeptically. “I know they’re basically royalty, but just because they ask someone not to say anything, doesn’t mean the person won’t go back on their word – even unintentionally.”

Taking another deep breath, Kurt looked right at Cooper and used his Seigneur-voice to command him, “Clap.” Cooper began frantically clapping his hands together, looking at his hands with a shocked expression; not understanding why he felt compelled to do what Kurt said. “Stop,” Kurt ordered. Just for fun, he continued, “Stand. Sit. At ease.” He waited for Cooper to look at him again then added, “Does that answer your question?”

“How did you do that?” Cooper asked, slightly frightened.

Blaine answered for him. “You’ve heard the stories, Coop. White werewolves _commanded_ respect wherever they went. Those stories are meant to be taken _literally_. Over time, we’ve all just assumed it was their nobility status, or their rarity that made us respect them. But what if it was their ability to command – to lead – that _gave_ them that nobility status in the first place?”

“Holy shit…” he replied, breathing out in shock. “So, you’re actually an all-white wolf? Can I see?”

“Um…” Kurt began, hesitantly.

“Cooper,” Blaine said, jumping in to help Kurt out, “remember when Kurt said that his parents raised him to think and act human? To help him blend in? He has a _very_ human mindset about nudity; and isn’t comfortable shifting in front of other people. Especially ones he’s just met. It took _weeks_ of pack bonding to get him to be _mostly_ -comfortable with our packmates being naked around him; nevermind his own nudity around them.”

“Sweetie,” Pam interjected, looking at Kurt. “If you want, you can use my office to shift.”

“Thank you, Pam,” Kurt said. “Blaine, would you mind coming with me?”

Blaine smiled and nodded then got up to follow Kurt into Pam’s home office.

\---

Once Kurt had shifted, Blaine led him back out into the living room. Caitlin and Cooper both gasped in unison. “He’s extremely large for a Delta, isn’t he?” Caitlin asked.

“Yeah…” Blaine replied, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Kurt licked Blaine’s face as an apology while trying not to laugh.

“Blaine’s just jealous because Kurt’s wolf is actually taller than his,” Pam added, smirking.

“How is he taller than an Alpha?” Cooper asked, still staring at Kurt, unblinking.

Blaine shrugged. “Guess it must be a white wolf thing or something; I don’t know.”

“Kurt…” Cooper began, “would you mind if I pet you?”

_**< <**Tell him he can pet me on my back or sides _only _, **> >**_Kurt told Blaine. _**< <**If he tries to touch my head, I will bite his hand off. **> >**_

“Um, okay? Why?” Blaine asked Kurt, wanting clarification before relaying the information to his brother.

_**< <**Because no one touches my hair; that’s why! **> >**_ Kurt informed him.

“You let me though,” Blaine replied, confused.

_**< <**Yeah, and I also let you touch my dick, **> >**_ Kurt said. _**< <**Doesn’t mean I want anyone else to do it. **> >**_

“You make a compelling argument,” he agreed. Turning to Cooper, Blaine continued, “You can pet him on his back and sides _only_. Do _not_ try to touch his head or he _will_ attack you; and no, I’m _not_ joking about that. Seriously, Coop, you’ve been warned.”

Cooper cautiously reached a hand out as Kurt walked closer to him. “Woah…” he breathed out in amazement. “You really _are_ an all-white wolf, aren’t you? Amazing! This is…” he trailed off while shaking his head, unable to put his feelings into words as he stared at Kurt in awe. “How is your fur so soft though? Like, really, _really_ soft? Caity feel his fur; it’s super soft.”

Caitlin looked Kurt in the eye and asked, “May I?”

Kurt nodded his head while asking Blaine to remind her to keep her hands off of his head.

“Pet his back,” Blaine told her, as she reached her hand toward Kurt.

“Oh…yeah, that _is_ soft,” Caitlin agreed with Cooper. She looked up at Blaine and asked, “Do you give him any special conditioning treatments to get his fur like this?”

Blaine looked at her confused and chuckled a little bit. “Why are you asking me? Kurt does all his own grooming. But considering the number of beauty products that are in our bathroom, it’s possible.”

“I mean when he’s a wolf,” she corrected. “He obviously can’t shampoo and condition his own fur, so I was curious if he had you helping him with a special regimen.”

“Oh; no,” he replied. “Any conditioning or moisturizing or anything like that, he does all on his own while human. And his human skin is really soft and silky too, so the softness of his fur probably has something to do with that.”

_**< <**Tell her I can give her some skin care tips later if she wants, **> >**_ Kurt told Blaine, as he took a few steps back, so he was just out of Cooper and Caitlin’s reach.

“Kurt says he’d be happy to give you some skin care tips later if you’d like,” Blaine relayed.

Caitlin smiled at Kurt and said, “That would be great. Thank you, Monseigneur.”

_**< <**Would it be okay if I shift back now? **> >**_ Kurt checked.

“Yeah, come on,” Blaine said, motioning Kurt toward his mother’s office. Addressing the rest of his family, he said, “We’ll be right back. He wants to shift again.”

\---

When they arrived back in the living room, they sat back down in the seats they had vacated earlier, and Kurt looked over at Cooper and Caitlin. “Look,” he began, “I know this is a lot to take in, but I would really, _really_ appreciate it if you guys didn’t tell anyone about me being a white wolf. I’m a little afraid of the type of attention that could draw. And I’d rather avoid that kind of notoriety; especially for something that is beyond my control. I’d much rather retain my privacy.”

“Of course,” Caitlin agreed. “We completely understand. You have our word on that.”

“Right!” Cooper said, after noticing the stern expression Caitlin was giving him. “Yeah, of course, Monseigneur. Our lips are sealed.”

Blaine looked at his brother suspiciously. “You know he can just _order_ you to keep your mouth shut, right? He’s being polite by asking you. This isn’t a game. This is his _life_. Seriously; Don’t. Tell. _Anyone_.”

“Understood,” Cooper agreed, nodding.

_**< <**If at anytime you have a feeling like he might not keep his word, just order him to stay quiet, **> >**_ Blaine told Kurt.

_**< <**Don’t worry, I will, **> >**_ he replied. _**< <**But you know him better than I do, so make sure to tell me if you become suspicious of him. I can always ask them to take a vow of silence too. They don’t know I have magic, so they probably won’t realize it’s a binding contract. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Don’t hex them, **> >**_ Blaine chastised.

_**< <**I didn’t say _‘hex’ _, **> >**_ Kurt corrected him. _**< <**I said ‘vow of silence’. It’s different. A vow of silence doesn’t demand compensation if you somehow find a loophole. Basically, all it really is, is a magical version of me giving them a Seigneur-command not to say anything; because with a Seigneur-command, there is still a slim chance that their Alpha could somehow unknowingly override my order. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Oh. Okay, gotcha, **> >**_ Blaine replied, understandingly. _**< <**Yeah, if worse comes to worst, I think a vow of silence is a good idea then. **> >**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *small warning for non-graphic mention of wildlife predator/prey hunting

It was Saturday afternoon, and the boys were supposed to be packing for their trip to Lima before heading up to the cabin. They had gone into the living room to pack up their laptops, but when Blaine bent over to unplug the charging cable, Kurt began whining and whimpering until Blaine turned to check on him. Once Blaine had turned around, Kurt nudged him to sit on the couch then sat on the floor at Blaine’s feet; he then nudged Blaine’s legs open, situating himself between them.

Blaine giggled as Kurt nuzzled his face against the crease of his thigh, inhaling Blaine’s scent. “What has gotten into you today? Hmm?”

_**< <**Are you complaining? **> >**_ Kurt asked, as he took the head of Blaine’s cock into his mouth.

“No, not at all. Mmm…Kurt that feels good,” he moaned. “But you…fuck, baby, your tongue is amazing…um, but you, uh, you usually don’t display this much lasciviousness.”

_**< <**Lasciviousness? **> >**_ Kurt replied, sounding amused.

“Would you prefer if I said you are excessively horny? Overly lustful? Obscenely salacious?” Blaine asked.

Kurt hummed, sending spikes of pleasure up Blaine’s spine. _**< <**At least I know what those words mean. You are far too eloquent for someone getting their dick sucked you know. I must not be doing a very good job if you can still think straight. **> >**_

“Oh, honey, I’ve never been able to think straight. I’m way too gay for that,” he said. “But don’t despair because you are doing an excellent job. I fucking love your mouth. I also love fucking your mouth. I really want to fuck your mouth.”

_**< <**Then by all means, fuck away, **> >**_ Kurt replied. _**< <**Pull my hair and make me take it. **> >**_

Blaine whimpered at Kurt’s reply, shuffled closer to the edge of the seat, grabbed handfuls of Kurt’s hair to hold his head in place, then began vigorously thrusting into Kurt’s awaiting throat. “So good.”

_**< <**And you say _I’m _the overly horny one, **> >**_ Kurt teased, using his tongue to enhance Blaine’s pleasure.

“Baby, it’s almost 2pm and you haven’t once attempted to put clothes on today,” Blaine said. “You’ve also gotten very distressed if you are more than a foot away from me at any given time. Mmm, yes, Kurt, just like that… You, um, you wouldn’t even physically detach yourself from my side while I was using the bathroom. And this is the fifth time we’ve engaged in a sexual activity of some kind since we woke up today. Trust me, I’m not complaining, but you gotta admit – even with your hyperactive libido – this is unusual for you.”

_**< <**I don’t know why, but I just need to feel you close to me, **> >**_ he replied. _**< <**And it’s not my fault that you are extremely sexy; especially when you’re walking around the house naked, smelling like _‘mine’ _, and putting your ass on display for me. **> >**_ Kurt grabbed hold of his own erection and began jerking himself off, while Blaine tightened his grip on Kurt’s hair as his thrusting became more erratic.

“Release your grip on your cock and put your hands behind your back,” Blaine Alpha-commanded. Kurt whined, but did as he was ordered. “That’s my cock. And I will be the one that strokes you to completion.”

_**< <**Yes, Alpha, **> >**_ Kurt replied.

“I’m so close,” Blaine warned. A few thrust later, he reached climax and came down Kurt’s throat. Kurt swallowed his release and licked him clean until Blaine began to pull him up. “Come here, babe.” He released Kurt from the command that was holding Kurt’s arms behind his back but made sure that Kurt still did not touch his own dick. Then he captured Kurt’s lips with his own in a passion filled kiss.

Kurt began to whimper and whine. _**< <**Please… **> >**_

Blaine pulled away from the kiss. “I didn’t forget about you,” he said, reassuringly, as he readjusted himself to sit further back on the couch while opening his legs wider, creating a space for Kurt to sit. He patted the empty spot on the couch between his legs, telling Kurt to take a seat there. Once Kurt was seated with his back pressed against Blaine’s chest, Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt’s waist, and started to lightly caress his fingers up and down the shaft of Kurt’s achingly hard cock while kissing the back of Kurt’s neck. “You…” _*kiss*_ “are so…” _*kiss*_ “beautiful.” He hooked his chin over Kurt’s shoulder, so he could watch his hand as it played with Kurt’s cock. “I am the luckiest werewolf alive. Somehow, someway, Fate chose _me_ to be your soulmate. The most gorgeous man on the planet is all mine. I wish there was a mirror in front of us, so I could show you just how beautiful you really are; especially when you are naked, hard, and desperate for me.” Wrapping his hand tightly around Kurt’s cock he finally began to stroke him with firm, even strokes – giving Kurt the friction he’d been craving. “Is this what you want, baby?” he asked, before starting to kiss along Kurt’s jaw and neck.

Kurt let out another whimper and nodded his head slightly. “Yes.”

As Blaine started to suck a bruise into Kurt’s neck, he told him, _**< <**I want you to cum whenever you need to, okay? Don’t hold back; but don’t try to rush it either. **> >**_

“Okay,” he agreed. “Mmm, Blaine, I love the way you touch me. Will…will you bite me?”

Blaine moved his mouth down to Kurt’s shoulder, elongated his fangs, and bit down harshly as he continued to stroke Kurt vigorously.

“Oh! Yes!” Kurt cried out. “I’m…I’m gonna…” His orgasm rushed out of him, covering Blaine’s hand.

Blaine slowed his strokes, and worked Kurt though it, before finally releasing his grip on Kurt’s cock. While retracting his fangs and licking over the bite, he brought his hand up to Kurt’s face and offered it to him. “Taste?”

Kurt stuck his tongue out and licked a little bit of his own cum off of his mate’s hand. Blaine then pulled his hand away and wiped it clean on the throw blanket hanging over the back of the couch. Then he picked up Kurt and seated him sideways on Blaine’s lap.

Blaine pressed his forehead against Kurt’s and rubbed the tips of their noses together while running his fingers through Kurt’s hair. He was silent as he stared at Kurt with a small smile on his face.

“Whatever you are doing with our bond, it tickles,” Kurt told him.

“It tickles?” Blaine questioned, amused. He saw Kurt nod at him, before Kurt ducked his head and started nuzzling against Blaine’s neck again. “I was just trying to see if I can figure out what is going on in that head of yours, that’s all. But all I’m picking up from you is ordinary happiness and adoration. I’m not sensing anything wrong.”

“Why would there be something wrong?” he asked. “I feel fine.”

“You are not usually this needy though,” Blaine said. “Not that being needy is bad or wrong. I’m more than happy to give you whatever you need whenever I can. But, baby, your sexual hunger today is insatiable. And it’s _contagious_.”

“Contagious? How so?” he wondered.

“As soon as you start to touch me, to really crave sexual intimacy, I suddenly need it too,” Blaine told him. “I will be perfectly content, then you will begin to kiss or caress me, and suddenly a wave of immense desire washes over me.” With a slight smirk he added, “…Almost as though I was put under a _spell_.”

“I’m sorry,” Kurt replied, sheepishly. “But it’s definitely _not_ magic! Unlike Alpha-commands, magic _can’t_ alter people’s feelings or emotions. There’s no way I’d be able to turn you on or make you horny through a spell, potion, or _anything_ magic related. It’s _impossible_.”

“No, no, baby; don’t apologize. It was a silly joke; I wasn’t accusing you. And I’m not upset either,” Blaine said. “I _love_ having sex with you. I was just concerned that there might be something _deeper_ going on. But if there is, it’s nothing I can sense through our bond; which means, either there _really_ is nothing amiss, or you aren’t aware of whatever it is.”

“Maybe it’s the moon?” Kurt suggested. “I mean, it’s not like before we mated when I had a 24-hour erection that wouldn’t go away,” he motioned toward his flaccid cock as evidence to back his claim, “coupled with a constant arousal and an _unrelenting_ craving for sex. Today has been more like: I’m craving physical _affection_. I need to _physically_ feel like I’m loved and desired… _wanted_. I don’t know if I’m explaining this right… But, either way, it really isn’t _that_ much of a leap to think the moon could be causing it, is it?”

“It’s possible,” he agreed. “But you didn’t feel like that last month, did you?”

“Sort of…” Kurt told him. “But I think the shock and uncertainty of being a wolf numbed it a little. I mean, there was so much going on. I’d never been a wolf before. I was scared and nervous. I didn’t know what was happening. But I knew I wanted you extremely close by. I felt anxious when you left the cabin to talk to your mom, even though I was with my dad. I thought it was because of everything that was going on – and the fact that I couldn’t actually _talk_ to my dad without you to interpret; but what if it was…whatever _this_ is that’s happening right now?”

“Well, whatever is happening – whatever the reasons – I’m here for you,” Blaine replied. He then kissed the tip of Kurt’s nose and added, “And I always will be.” Blaine looked around the room and let out a small sigh. “We still need to finish packing. And I think we should eat something before we leave too. Full moons do crazy things to our metabolisms; we need to eat a lot more than we normally do. Add in the number of calories being burned by how much sex we’ve had today…”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing that I went grocery shopping with your mom yesterday while you and your dad were hanging out with your brother,” Kurt said, when Blaine trailed off.

“Do you think you could finish packing while I make us something to eat?” Blaine asked.

Kurt pouted at him while making a sad whining sound. “I guess…” He began to get up off of Blaine’s lap then added, “Just don’t touch the bacon, eggs, milk, or orange juice. I got those to take to the cabin for breakfast tomorrow.”

“I was wondering why there was five-dozen eggs in fridge,” he mumbled. “Okay; but actually, I was just going to heat up the chicken stir fry and serve it wrapped in tortillas. That way we get a decent mix of carbs and protein in addition to the calories we need.”

“Sounds good,” Kurt agreed, as Blaine walked toward the kitchen.

As Blaine bent over to retrieve the wok from the cabinet, Kurt walked up behind him and pressed himself against Blaine’s backside. He wrapped his arms around Blaine’s waist, and started to nuzzle the back of Blaine’s neck.

“Sweetie,” Blaine said, giggling with fond exasperation. He stood up and placed the wok on top of the stove then turned around in Kurt’s arms. “You’re supposed to be packing.”

“I finished,” he replied, resting his head on Blaine’s shoulder.

“You finished?” Blaine asked, amused. “You didn’t even step foot into the bedroom or the bathroom. How could you have fin-” He stopped mid-word with a confused look on his face as he noticed both of their overnight bags as well as their laptop bags sitting next to the front door. “How…”

Kurt shrugged. “Magic?”

“Of course it was magic,” Blaine said, letting out a small sigh. “You remembered to pack everything though? Toothbrush; dental, hygiene, and hair care products; enough clothes for 4 days; my wallet; phone char-”

“Yes, Blaine,” Kurt said, cutting him off. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I packed everything that was on the list…and few extra things that weren’t. And if I somehow overlooked something by mistake, I still have a bunch of clothes, products, spare chargers, and other necessities at my dad’s house; which I am more than happy to share with you – and, yes, that does include my clothes.”

“Wow… You’re willing to lend me some of your personal clothing? I’m honored,” he replied.

“You should be,” Kurt said. “Because not only am I willing to _lend_ you some of my clothes, but I’m willing to magically _alter_ them to properly fit you if necessary.” Seeing the look of shock on Blaine’s face, he added, “What? Is it really that shocking that I love you more than I love my clothes?”

“I love you too,” he answered, giving Kurt a quick kiss. “And, no. There was never a question of who or what you loved more. But I know how you feel about your clothes; how protective you are over them. The fact that you’re willing to do that for me, it means a lot.”

“Yeah, well, good thing none of that will be necessary since I packed all of the outfits you planned on bringing, and a couple extras just in case,” Kurt told him.

Blaine laughed and nodded, “Alright, alright. I’m sorry I questioned your packing skills. But I really do need to make this food now.”

“Okay… But you can make it with me still holding you, right?” Kurt checked.

“Yes, just let me wash my hands and put an apron on first,” he told him.

\---

During their meal they decided to head up to the cabin a little earlier than planned; and would leave as soon as they were done eating. Blaine thought that if the moon was causing whatever it was that Kurt was feeling, that maybe immersing himself out in nature and allowing his wolf instincts to take over might alleviate some of the cravings he had.

“Damnit; I have to put on clothes for the drive over there, don’t I?” Kurt asked, once all the dishes were washed and put away.

“Unfortunately, that is a requirement by law, yes,” Blaine replied. “But you can strip them right back off as soon as we get to the cabin. It’s pretty cold out though, so don’t forget your jacket. I know we don’t feel the cold as _severely_ as humans do, but you’ll still need it for when you’re at your dad’s house, so you don’t raise suspicions around Finn and Carole; especially since they are used to you wearing lots of layers.”

“Right, okay,” Kurt agreed. “I just gotta pack up the cooler with the food for tomorrow’s breakfast. This should all fit in the dorm fridge at the cabin, right?”

“Babe…the refrigerator may be considered a dorm fridge, but it’s four feet tall,” Blaine told him. “If we can’t fit a couple gallons of milk and a few of pounds of bacon in there, then we have a problem. We’ll just have to turn on the generator as soon as we get there and let it run all night so none of the food goes bad.”

While Kurt quickly packed up the cooler, Blaine went into the bedroom to get dressed. As soon as Kurt finished with the food, he rushed off to the bedroom to throw on a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved t-shirt. He grabbed a pair of socks and his boots and hurried to put them on while Blaine brought their bags out to Kurt’s car.

Looking around the room to make sure he didn’t forget anything, he picked up his jacket and the cooler and took them out to his car. “You brought the overnight bags and the laptop bags? What about the bag of presents for my family?” Kurt checked. When Blaine confirmed that he brought all of them out to the car, Kurt continued, “Alright, that _should_ be everything then. We just have to lock the front door. I would have done it, but you have my keys. I locked the interior door though; not that that makes a difference. You got your cell phone too? I didn’t pack it in case you needed it before we left.”

“Yup, it’s in my pocket. I saw it on the coffee table,” Blaine answered, as he hurried back up the path to lock the apartment door. Once he was back at the car, he handed Kurt his keys then hopped into the passenger seat. “Just head east on the highway. I’ll point out the turn off for the cabin when we get close.”

\---

“I almost wish that you were driving right now,” Kurt told Blaine, ten minutes into the trip.

“Why’s that?” he asked.

“Because I’m starting to get a little antsy, not being able to _touch_ you right now,” Kurt replied. “And if you were driving, then I wouldn’t have to pay attention to the road, and I could suck you off.”

“Well, damn; now _I_ wish I was driving too,” he muttered. “I’m sorry, baby. Would you like me to blow you while you drive?”

“I am so tempted to say yes,” Kurt responded, shaking his head. “But to be honest I’d rather be the one pleasuring you right now. And I also need you to pay attention to the road, so I know where I’m supposed to go. Could I… Do you think… Would it be okay if I jerked you off right now? Or at least just hold your cock in my hand until we get to the cabin? I only need one hand to drive, right?”

“I would definitely be okay with either one of those,” Blaine told him. “I just need…” He reached down to the floor in front of him, picked up his coat, then he placed his coat over his lap. “We just have to keep the coat in my lap so passing vehicles can’t see my dick; just in case one of them is a cop or something.”

Kurt smirked and reached a hand under Blaine’s coat then pulled his dick out of his sweatpants and started to lightly stroke him. “You know I could always use magic to tint the windows so that no one could see in, right? God…I’ve only had your dick in my hand for a few seconds and I already feel a hundred times better.”

“It crossed my mind,” Blaine said, before letting out a loud moan and tossing his head back against the seat. “But…oh god that feels good…but sometimes magic requires the use of both of your hands, or you have to close your eyes, or something. I didn’t want to impede your driving; and this coat is just as effective.”

“Point taken,” he agreed. For the remainder of the drive, Kurt alternated between just holding Blaine’s dick while casually rubbing his thumb over the head, and lightly stroking his entire shaft.

“The turn off is coming up on your right in about a quarter mile,” Blaine told him. “You’re going to see a utility pole with four round silver and blue reflectors on it. The dirt road is _immediately_ after that. Baby, as soon as you park the car, I need to fuck you. I don’t care if we do it in the car or out in the clearing next to the car. I don’t care if we are in human form or wolf form. But I will _not_ wait for us to unload everything and bring it to the cabin first. That _isn’t_ an option. I need to be inside you, like, five minutes ago.”

Kurt nodded, then turned down the dirt road toward the cabin, driving a little faster than he normally would. Once the car was parked, he shut off the engine, unbuckled his seat belt, closed his eyes and waved his hands in a familiar pattern. When he opened his eyes again, he was completely naked, and his clothes were laying across the back seat of his car. Kurt pulled Blaine’s coat off of his lap, tugged his sweatpants down to his knees, then climbed into his lap.

Blaine moaned in appreciation as Kurt began to ride him, then he grabbed Kurt’s face and began kissing him passionately. _**< <**Mmm, baby, you feel so good. I love your tight perky ass. But, baby, I really need to _fuck _you, **> >**_ Blaine told him, as they continued making out.

_**< <**Isn’t that what you’re doing? **> >**_ Kurt asked, bouncing himself on Blaine’s cock.

_**< <**No, you’re riding me, **> >**_ he clarified. _**< <**I want to bend you over and fuck you hard. **> >**_

“Oh god yes!” Kurt exclaimed, breaking the kiss and growling with desire.

Blaine opened the car door and motioned his head for Kurt to get out. Kurt lifted himself off of Blaine’s cock then stepped out into the clearing. Blaine pulled his shoes and sweatpants completely off then quickly joined Kurt outside. He grabbed Kurt by the hips, spun him around, bent him over the hood of the car, then promptly pushed his cock deep into Kurt’s hole again and began thrusting erratically. “Much better,” Blaine moaned.

“Oh; oh, Blaine. That feels so good,” he wailed. “Fuck! What I wouldn’t give to be able to feel your knot inside of me right now.”

“I can make that happen,” Blaine said, flirtatiously. He winced and whimpered as his hips stuttered, but soon enough continued his vigorous thrusting.

Kurt could feel the size and texture of Blaine cock change as it moved inside of him. “Holy shit. Did you just shift your dick into your wolf? Oh, yup; there’s your knot! Damn that feels good!”

“You wanted my wolf’s cock inside you,” Blaine began, “so I’m giving you what you want. But I unfortunately I’m not skilled enough to shift _just_ my dick… I had to shift everything from the waist down. So don’t make any sudden movements; I don’t have as much balance standing on my wolf’s hind legs as I do my human ones.”

Kurt reached a hand behind him and felt around for Blaine, finding his furry hips and tail. “What is wrong with me that I’m getting turned on by the fact you have a tail right now?” he asked, wrapping a hand around Blaine’s tail, repeatedly stroking it from base to tip.

“We’re werewolves,” Blaine replied, whimpering slightly. “It’s completely normal to be sexually attracted to your mate no matter which form either of you are in.”

“What’s wrong? Why are you whimpering?” Kurt asked.

“My tail,” Blaine said. “It’s sort of an erogenous zone; and what you are doing to it right now is incredibly stimulating.” He carefully removed one of his hands from Kurt’s hips and wrapped it around his cock, stroking vigorously. “If you’re gonna keep that up, I’m gonna need you to cum, because I won’t last much longer.” Then he bit down roughly on Kurt’s shoulder.

Kurt let go of Blaine’s tail and brought his hand back around to tightly grip the side of his car. Tossing his head back as he came, Kurt let out a deep, booming howl that echoed loudly throughout the woods. Blaine’s whole body shuddered as he released his own orgasm into Kurt. _**< <**Oh my god! That howl was sexy as hell! Damn, baby; I probably could have cum just from the sound of that alone, **> >**_ Blaine told him as he kissed and licked over the bite wound that he left.

“I can’t usually howl like _that_ unless I’m in wolf form,” Kurt replied. “My human body seems to be a lot more in-touch with my wolf right now than it usually is. I’m guessing that has to do with the approaching moon.”

“Probably,” he said. He kissed Kurt’s neck and in a sweet voice added, “Do me a favor? Keep holding on to the car and don’t move. I think my knot has finally shrunk enough for me to pull out, but my legs feel kind of shaky, so I’m going to need to hold onto you for support while I shift my lower body back.”

Blaine grunted softly while shifting his lower body. His body swayed unsteadily for a moment until he was completely back in his human form again and able to regain his balance. He leaned forward, kissed Kurt on his cheek, and said, “Thank you, beautiful.”

Kurt turned around and raked his eyes over Blaine’s partially naked body while smirking. “I kind of miss the tail,” he said, playfully. “Then again…” he wrapped his arms around Blaine’s waist and began groping his ass, “I think I would definitely miss _this_ a lot more.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Blaine giggled. He gave Kurt a quick kiss then continued, “Guess we should unpack the car now though.” Kurt nodded in agreement, then opened the back of the car, and began to put his boots on. Blaine pulled his shirt off then gathered up his discarded clothing from the front seat of the car to shove inside his overnight bag. He gave Kurt a mischievous grin and said, “And by the way: I told you so.”

“What are you talking about?” Kurt asked, confused.

“Last time we were here,” Blaine began, “you told me that it didn’t matter how horny or desperate you were, you would never have sex outside in the dirt, in your human form, completely naked. I took it as a challenge and said I could make it happen. And I did. So I win.”

“No, no, no…I’m pretty sure that I said I would never _roll around_ in the dirt naked having sex,” Kurt corrected. “Only my feet touched the dirt. If anything, we had sex on top of my car. It’s completely different.”

Blaine narrowed his gaze at Kurt. “Okay; fine. I’ll give you that. I still think I can make it happen.” His expression then shifted to a look of confusion. “You’re only putting your boots on? No clothes?”

“I didn’t want to put the clothes on in the first place,” Kurt told him. “I only put them on because I _had_ to since I was driving; now that we’re here, I can forgo them altogether. But I need something on my feet to protect them from all the dirt and rocks and stuff along the path; at least until we get to the cabin anyway.”

“You’re adorable,” Blaine cooed, before giving Kurt another kiss. “Okay…We should probably bring _everything_ up to the cabin – even the stuff we won’t use. It’s supposed to snow tonight, and I don’t think leaving our laptops in the car with freezing temperatures is a good idea.”

“You’re probably right,” he agreed. “You want to grab our bags, and I’ll take the cooler? The gifts can stay. There’s nothing in there that would be damaged by the cold.”

Blaine agreed; then they hurried to gather everything up, lock up the car, and head up the path.

“Oh! And one more thing…” Kurt said, just before leaving the clearing. He bent down and touched the ground with the palm of his hand, closed his eyes, then he pushed his hand further down into the dirt before quickly bringing it back up – as if he was giving the ground a chest compression, or testing the firmness of a mattress. After three ‘compressions’ he rested his hand on top of the dirt, so that it was just barely touching the ground; Kurt then thrusted his hand outward along the dirt road in the direction of the highway. He opened his eyes, stood back up and told Blaine they could head up to the cabin now.

\---

When they got to the cabin, they dropped their bags next to the couch, then Blaine went to start-up the generator. He told Kurt to give the fridge a few minutes to get cold before unloading the food from the cooler, and in the meantime, they would get a fire started in the fireplace.

“So, what was that thing you did earlier?” Blaine asked while they got to work making sure everything was set for the night. “When you touched the ground out in the clearing? I know it was magic of some kind, but what did it do?”

“Oh…” Kurt said, almost sounding surprised, like he just remembered he needed to explain himself. “Um, I put a _tiny_ enchantment on the road into the clearing. The weather report said we’d be getting somewhere between 2 and 6 inches of snow. I didn’t want to take any chances that we might get snowed in, or that we might have to shovel out that entire dirt road in the morning before heading out to Lima; especially since David’s car doesn’t have 4-wheel drive. And I didn’t want to make it _too_ obvious that magic had been used – because your brother and his mate will be here, and it would look _really_ suspicious if the road and clearing were entirely snow free while snow covered _everything else_ around it – so, I just made it so that no more than a half-inch of snow would stick to the road or clearing. Anything more than that would instantly melt into the ground – _without_ causing the dirt to become a giant mud pit. That way, no matter what happens with the weather, we won’t have any problems getting out to the main highway when it’s time to leave.”

Once all the chores had been done and everything was put away, Kurt decided that he really needed to take a nap before doing anything else. He asked Blaine to cuddle with him under the blankets while he slept.

\---

“Hey there, sleeping beauty,” Blaine said, as Kurt stirred awake almost an hour later. “I can hear the rest of the pack walking up the path. You want to get up now? Or continue to sleep?”

“Mmm…I guess I should get up,” he replied. “Or at least remain awake. I think I want to stay cuddled under the blankets a bit longer though.”

“Okay,” Blaine agreed, kissing and nuzzling the back of Kurt’s neck.

“We’re coming in!” Jeff yelled from the other side of the cabin door. “So, now’s the time to cover anything you don’t want seen!”

Blaine laughed at them as the door opened and Jeff walked in trying to shield his eyes. “You can open your eyes, Jeff. We don’t have anything to hide.”

“Oh, okay,” Jeff said, walking fully into the cabin and allowing the others to enter. “I wasn’t sure what you guys were doing in here; I know magic is sometimes used to hide certain sounds and scents. And I know Kurt’s not 100% comfortable with others seeing him in sexual situations, so I thought I’d play it safe.”

“Thank you, Jeff,” Kurt said, sincerely. “That’s really thoughtful of you.”

“Hey, what’s up with the empty cooler?” Nick asked, interrupting them, pointing at the cooler they’d left next to their overnight bags after unloading the food into the fridge.

“Oh, Kurt and my mom bought some bacon and eggs for tomorrow’s breakfast,” Blaine replied. “That was just to keep everything cold on the drive over. We already put all the food in the fridge.”

“You brought bacon?!” David asked. “Kurt-I-don’t-know-your-middle-name-Hummel, if I was even remotely attracted to guys, I would kiss you right now.”

Blaine growled at David, pulled Kurt closer to him and huffed, “Mine.”

Kurt chuckled at Blaine’s possessiveness. “Yes, sweetie, all yours,” he said, softly, patting Blaine’s side. He then turned to David and said, “Elizabeth.”

“Huh?” David said, squinting at Kurt in confusion.

“My middle name,” Kurt replied. “It’s Elizabeth. You said you didn’t know what it was; now you do.”

“Your middle name is Elizabeth?” Wes asked him. “Isn’t that your mom’s name? You were named after your mom? Even though she was still alive at the time?”

Kurt shook his head. “No. I mean, yes, my mom’s name is Elizabeth; but I wasn’t named after her. I was named after my dad’s aunt that died about two weeks before I was born,” he explained. “My grandfather’s family has a tradition that you name the children in your family after recently departed loved ones; that way a piece of them can continue to live on through the child. My dad is an only child; and everyone was pretty sure I would be too – especially considering the circumstances surrounding my conception. So, naturally, it fell on my parents to name _me_ after grandpa’s sister, Elizabeth Curtis.”

“Wait,” Trent said. “Does that mean your full first name is Kurtis? With a ‘K’? Or is it Curtis with a ‘C’ and you just shorten it to Kurt with a ‘K’?”

“No; none of the above,” he replied, shaking his head. “My parents liked the idea of calling me ‘Kurt’ instead of ‘Curtis’. They preferred the way it sounded or something; wanted it to be my full name rather than a nickname. And because they didn’t want other people to think it was a nickname, they changed the spelling from a ‘C’ to a ‘K’ when they shortened it.” He shrugged. “I don’t know. My grandpa didn’t care too much that they shortened it and changed the spelling because it was just her married last name; and they were still using her full first name as my middle name. He said that was all that was really important. But, you know, I’ve always loved that my middle name is my mom’s name. Even when she was alive; but even more so after she passed. It was like another link to her. I know it’s just a coincidence that my dad’s aunt and my mom had the same first name – and I know that I wasn’t _actually_ named after my mom – but it helps me feel connected to my mom nonetheless.”

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be a coincidence,” Wes told him. “It could have been Fate.”

\---

The other boys in the pack had quickly shed their clothing and found places to sit and talk before they needed to make and eat dinner before they shifted.

“I’m curious,” Trent began, looking over at Blaine and Kurt. “Maybe it was intentional – and feel free to tell me to mind my own business if it was – but why did you guys decide to come up here early? Your text didn’t say.”

Kurt and Blaine shared a look, then Kurt nodded at him, giving Blaine permission to tell them. “Kurt has been feeling a little… _off_ …today. I thought bringing him out here – that being surrounded by nature and embracing his wolf’s instincts – might help.”

“Has it? Helped, that is?” Trent asked.

“It has actually,” Kurt answered. “I mean, I fell asleep as soon as we finished unpacking everything, and just woke up when you guys arrived, but my body has felt a lot calmer since we got here. I honestly don’t think I would have been _able_ to fall asleep back at home with how I felt earlier; I was too wired. Although, I’m still feeling a little…” he tilted his hand side-to-side in a ‘so-so’ motion, “so who knows.”

“When you say _‘off’_ ,” Wes started, slowly, “is this something that my dad should be made aware of? Or is this something else?”

“I don’t think it’s anything we need to worry your dad over; not yet anyway,” Kurt told him. “I honestly think whatever it is has to do with the moon. But if I’m still feeling like this tomorrow, then I’ll consider talking to him.”

“If you don’t mind me asking; what exactly is off about how you feel?” Wes asked.

“For starters,” Kurt said, “I find the thought of wearing clothes to be bothersome. And you guys know how much I love my clothes. I actually complained about the fact that I had to put clothes on in order to drive over here. But mostly, it’s just that I get kind of _anxious_ if I’m too far away from Blaine for too long.”

“And by ‘too far away’,” Blaine interjected, “he means anything more than _two feet_ ; while ‘too long’ means approximately _30 seconds_.”

Kurt glared at him, then turned back to Wes. “Anyway! My body has been craving constant physical affection from him – cuddles, kisses, caressing, nuzzling…things like that. However, _that_ keeps leading to me becoming desperately horny; especially considering both of our lack of clothing.”

“And somehow…” Blaine continued, “that horniness is contagious. As soon as he starts to crave sex, so do I. I get _instantly_ hard. We’ve already had sex, like, six times today, _at least_. And, I know werewolves have a substantial sex drive – him more so than most – but that’s still a bit much even for us; especially since the day is not even over yet. Thankfully though, neither of us have experienced any kind of exhaustion, or dehydration, or any other common side effects one would expect from engaging in excessive amounts of sex within a short period of time. It’s almost as though our bodies go through a _‘reset’_ whenever he starts to get horny again; we respond to stimulation as though we hadn’t had sex yet today. I mean, he gave me a blowjob before breakfast, and not even 10 seconds after I came, I was already completely hard and desperately horny again – just because he still was.”

Jeff smirked at them; in a teasing voice he asked, “Is that why you’re spooned up behind Kurt under the blanket? Where I am assuming you are both completely naked? Easy access for when he gets horny?”

“No, you dork,” Blaine said, throwing a pillow at Jeff’s face. “I happen to like cuddling my mate; and he needs me close by.” He then whispered in Kurt’s ear, “Though, I am not opposed to fucking you again if you need me to; especially since I can feel your arousal starting to spike.”

Kurt groaned then quietly muttered, “I’m trying to be good. Please don’t say things like that or I am going to _want_ you to fuck me.”

“Anytime, babe; anytime,” Blaine said, rubbing his semi-erect cock against Kurt’s ass.

“I fucking hate you,” Kurt whined, facetiously.

“I know, sweetheart,” Blaine replied, placatingly, kissing Kurt on the cheek.

_**< <**Okay, I give up! **> >**_ Kurt silently told Blaine. _**< <**Please fuck me? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Right here? **> >**_he checked. _**< <**Or do you want to take this outside? We can shift if that will make you more comfortable? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Here. Now. Please? **> >**_ Kurt replied. Before Blaine could react, Kurt said aloud to the pack, “Excuse us a moment.” Then he constructed a magical visibility shield with a one-way soundproof barrier around himself and Blaine, so the pack could not see or hear them, then rolled over onto his hands and knees and presented himself to Blaine.

“Alright,” David said, diverting everyone’s attention away from the shield hiding Kurt and Blaine, “it’s getting kind of late, so I’m gonna start making dinner. Everyone okay with pasta?” He received affirmative responses from everyone, including a thumbs-up from both Kurt and Blaine – from where they had pushed their hands through the visibility shield, so that they could be seen by the pack.

\---

After dinner the entire pack went outside. Blaine had to talk Kurt out of putting his boots back on before they left the cabin. “Baby, I know you think you need them to protect your feet, but you will be fine without them; I promise,” he told Kurt. “What do you plan on doing with them when it’s time to shift? If you’re still wearing them, they are going to be torn to _shreds_. And if by some miracle they’re not, then they will cause some _serious_ damage to both your human feet and your wolf paws. I promise you, now that your genetics resemble a full-blooded werewolf, your human feet are more durable than they used to be; they can withstand stepping on rocks and twigs.”

“Fine,” Kurt agreed, reluctantly.

Once they were outside, Blaine looked around cautiously. “Looks like it’s going to start snowing soon,” he said. “Let’s get a fire started in the firepit; in case we need the extra warmth tonight.” The boys in the pack nodded. Half of them headed deeper into the woods to collect extra firewood, while the others – Blaine and Kurt among them – took off toward the firepit to prepare it with the wood that was already there.

“What’s going to happen if it does snow?” Kurt wondered, as they walked slowly behind the other boys who had run ahead to get the fire started.

“What do you mean?” Blaine asked, looking at him in confusion.

“Do we go back in the cabin? Or take cover somewhere else?” he checked. “Or are we gonna stay outside and get covered in wet, cold snow, and potentially get sick?”

“We won’t get sick from spending the night outside in the snow,” Blaine told him. “Our bodies are made to handle the weather; _especially_ while in wolf form. But there is a large canopy near the firepit to shelter you from the snow if it starts bothering you; plus you have the added bonus of being next to the fire for warmth. The cabin is an option too, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Too many walls. Your wolf will feel claustrophobic. That’s why we always spend the full moon outside in the woods. For the most part though, we’re just going to do what we normally do during a full moon; despite the weather.”

“I’m thinking like a human again, aren’t I?” Kurt replied, softly, frustrated with himself.

“It’s okay,” Blaine reassured him, as they reached the small clearing around the firepit. Trent and Wes had beat them there and already had a decent fire going. “You are still very new to this lifestyle; and you’re still learning things about your wolf. It’s to be expected.” Blaine paused whatever else he was going to say when Kurt put up a finger to silence him, staring off into the woods. Kurt then took a few steps back, away from Blaine, and shifted into his wolf. “Kurt? What’s going on?”

_**< <**Your brother is here, **> >**_ Kurt answered. _**< <**He and Cait are on their way over to the firepit right now. And I’m not exactly comfortable with them seeing my naked human form. **> >**_

“Cooper and Cait?” Blaine asked, confused. He sniffed the air while tilting his head in the direction Kurt was looking to try and hear them. “I don’t hear -” The sound of a snapping twig echoed loudly in the distance, from the opposite direction of the rest of the pack. “Okay, now I hear them. How did you…?”

_**< <**Cooper has a loud voice, **> >**_ Kurt replied, tilting his head in a way that implied, if he were in his human form, he’d be shrugging.

A few seconds later Cooper and Caitlin stepped out into the clearing. “So you _are_ over here,” Cooper confirmed. “We were heading over to your cabin, when Caity thought she smelled smoke coming from this direction too – not just your cabin. Figured we should check this area out before going over to your place; just in case it wasn’t a contained fire. Did you leave a fire going at the cabin? While no one is there? And what’s with the campfire?”

“It’s going to snow tonight,” Blaine replied. “Of course I left a fire going at the cabin. Can’t exactly build and start a fire as a wolf, and I’d like to not be a popsicle when I wake up in the morning. Also, I like having the outdoor fire going in case it gets too cold during the night. Sometimes it’s good to have something other than body heat from your pack to warm you up.”

“Snow?” Caitlin checked, nervously. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Blaine confirmed. “You can’t tell?”

“I’m from L.A.!” she answered. “Of course I can’t tell when it might _snow_! And while I have seen snow in person while visiting Ohio before, none of those visits have ever coincided with a full moon. My _wolf_ is not accustomed to inclement weather.”

“Well, you are welcome to hang out here near the fire, under the canopy, to stay warm and dry, if you want,” Blaine told her.

Caitlin nodded at him. “Thanks.”

“Hey, uh…” Cooper began, staring at Kurt, “Why are you already shifted? Moon hasn’t risen yet.”

Kurt huffed in response, then nuzzled his face against Blaine’s chest. Blaine giggled at him, then looked at his brother, while petting the top of Kurt’s head. “We told you the other day, he’s not completely comfortable with his human nudity yet. As soon as he heard you guys coming this way, he shifted.”

Cooper nodded. “Oh, yeah, that’s right. But if I recall correctly, you also said he doesn’t like people petting his head either.”

“I’m allowed because I’m his soulmate,” Blaine replied. “Anyone else tries it, and he will bite their hand off.” Glancing down at Kurt he asked in a soft cooing voice, “Isn’t that right?” Kurt responded to him by lifting his head up and licking Blaine’s face. “Aww, I love you too.”

Cooper turned to Trent and Wes and asked, “Are they always like this?”

“Yup,” Wes said; at the same time Trent replied, “Pretty much.”

“Well excuse me!” Blaine said, indignantly. “We’ve only been mated for a month! It takes at least _three_ for our hormones to regulate.”

“We know that, Blaine,” Wes replied, putting his up in a placating gesture. “We didn’t say there was anything _wrong_ with how you were acting. It’s expected. The two of you are still very much in your ‘honeymoon’ stage. Which Cooper should remember, having actually gone through the mating process himself. We were just confirming that this is not an unusual sight and that we are used to it, that’s all.”

“Though, most of the time, Kurt is in human form, and you are both fully clothed, but yes, what Wes said,” Trent added.

“Yeah, okay; but I was never _that_ bad,” Cooper told them, pointing at his brother and Kurt. “They are all over each other _all_ time. And if for some reason they’re apart, Blaine is a whiney mess. I mean, just yesterday, Blainey and I were watching a basketball game with dad, and he was complaining every two minutes about missing Kurt – who was downstairs in the same house!”

“He also left to go grocery shopping and run some errands with mom for a while,” Blaine clarified, petulantly. “And it was _not_ every two minutes!”

Cooper rolled his eyes at him, as the other boys from Blaine’s pack arrived at the firepit with more kindling for the wood pile. “Anyway, you guys eat yet?” Cooper asked. “I’m starving.”

“We did actually,” Blaine told him. “We just finished eating before coming out here to start the fire.”

“Got any leftovers?” Cooper asked, hopefully.

“Sorry, Coop,” Blaine replied. “We ate everything; there’s nothing left.”

_**< <**What’s wrong with the food in his cabin? Your mom and I just stocked it yesterday after we went grocery shopping, so it’s not like any of it is moldy or expired, **> >**_ Kurt said.

“Kurt says he and mom replenished the food supply in your cabin yesterday; they made sure all of it was recent and that there was more than enough for the two of you,” Blaine said, conveying Kurt’s message.

“Yeah, but I have to make that myself,” Cooper told him. “I was hoping to eat a meal that was already made.” He sighed, then turned to Caitlin, “Guess we should head back to the cabin and eat?”

“And get a fire started too,” she agreed, “since it’s apparently going to snow tonight.”

“Aww, Caity, we don’t need a fire to stay warm,” Cooper said, flirtatiously, winking at her.

Caitlin giggled at him. “While I have no doubt in your ability to make me work up a sweat, I’d still like the fire going.”

“Well, if that’s what my girl wants, then that’s what we’ll do,” Cooper told her. He looked around at Blaine and the pack then said, “Alright, we’ll be back at some point. Oh, and if I don’t see you again before we shift, expect us for breakfast in the morning.”

“I was already planning on it,” Blaine replied, as his brother and Caitlin left the clearing to head back to Cooper’s cabin.

\---

Later that night after the moon had risen, Kurt nuzzled himself against Blaine, whining slightly. _**< <**What’s wrong, sweetheart? **> >**_ Blaine asked him.

_**< <**I’m hungry, **> >**_ he replied. _**< <**But I’m also horny. And I can’t figure out which one I want more: food or sex. **> >**_

**_< <_** _I’m starting to get hungry myself, **> > **_Blaine told him. _**< <**The whole pack is, I think. And since we just had sex not even twenty minutes ago… Why don’t we hunt some food then I can fuck you again after we eat? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Okay, **> >**_ he agreed.

Blaine got the attention of the pack and signaled them to follow him. The pack cautiously traipsed through the woods, hunting for their dinner before coming across a large buck grazing on a small bush. Blaine motioned at deer, alerting the pack that this was their target. The deer then began to wander off unaware it was being pursued by a pack of hungry werewolves.

After stalking the buck across the back portion of the woods for a couple of minutes, the pack was pleasantly surprised to see the animal stop and rest by the edge of the pond next to a doe and fawn. Keeping a safe distance, as to lower the risks of the deer being alerted to their presence, the pack alternated between hungrily staring at their prey and glancing at their Alpha as they waited for Blaine’s signal. Just as Blaine began organizing the pack on how to ambush the other animals, Cooper and his mate came charging up behind them, heading straight for the buck.

Cooper and Caitlin came to a screeching halt as Blaine swiftly jumped in front of them, growling softly. Blaine looked down at his older brother, baring his fangs, warning him not to make any sudden movements.

Moving his head slowly to look around Blaine at the three deer – who by some miracle hadn’t been scared off by the noise – Cooper cautiously tried to step around his brother.

_**< <**Cooper, Caitlin, stop! **> >**_ Kurt commanded, angrily, knowing his order couldn’t be heard by the other wolves. To his surprise, Cooper actually stopped; he then looked over at Kurt with wide eyes. Caitlin, who was attempting to sneak around Blaine’s other side while he was preoccupied with Cooper, also stopped in her tracks, looking toward Kurt in confusion.

_**< <**Did they just respond to your command? **> >**_ Blaine wondered.

_**< <**I think so, **> >**_ Kurt replied, unsure.

_**< <**Your Seigneur-commands work in wolf form? How is that possible? I mean, that’s incredible! I can’t even do that with my Alpha-commands within my own pack – with the exception of you of course because of our telepathic link, **> >**_ Blaine told him. _**< <**If that’s the case, this hunt may go better than planned… **> >**_ He quickly told Kurt his strategy for ambushing the three deer, to make sure the entire pack plus Cooper and Caitlin got to eat their fill of dinner.

Kurt relayed Blaine’s strategy as orders to everyone, watching as the group all nodded then executed the plan exactly as commanded. All nine werewolves worked together to take down the three deer then enjoyed a nice meal together. Once everyone had eaten Cooper and Caitlin walked over to Blaine and Kurt, bowed their head apologetically, then wandered off into another part of the woods – presumably back to the canopy next to the firepit – alone.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Small Warning for non-graphic mentions of wildlife predator/prey hunting

The next morning, as Kurt awoke, he blinked his eyes several times trying to focus the image in front of him. He groaned in disgust when he realized what he was seeing was Jeff’s morning erection. Realizing Blaine was awake and snuggled up behind him, Kurt tried to turn over so that he could bury his face in his mate’s chest, but something was pinning his legs in place.

Cautiously lifting his head to look around, he noticed David was cuddled up next to him with his his head next to Kurt’s feet and his arms wrapped tightly around Kurt’s legs, clinging to him similar to how a child might cling to a teddy bear when they’re scared.

_**< <**If you tickle the bottom of his foot, he’ll let go, **> >**_ Blaine told him.

_**< <**I take it you have experience with this? **> >**_ he joked, reaching out to tickle the bottom of David’s foot. David instantly let go of Kurt’s legs then rolled over to snuggled up with a spare pillow that was next to him. _**< <**Wow, that actually worked? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Of course it did. Would I lie to you? **> >**_ Blaine replied.

Kurt turned over to face his mate, smiling at him softly. _**< <**No. I don’t believe you would. **> >**_ He gave Blaine a tender kiss then tossed one leg over Blaine’s hip, snuggling closer to him and sighing contentedly.

_**< <**You’re not going to fall back asleep, are you? **> >**_ Blaine wondered. _**< <**Because the fire is starting to die out and I need to get up and add some wood to it. And we should really take a shower before the rest of the pack decides to beat us to it and use up all the hot water. Plus, Coop and Cait will be here soon for breakfast – which we still need to make. **> >**_

Kurt lifted his head, giving Blaine an unamused glare. He pointed over at the wall of firewood then pointed at the fireplace, watching as the logs added themselves to the dwindling fire; then he moved his hand as if he was pitching a baseball, causing the fire to momentarily flare up, before leveling off to an average height.

“Holy shit…” Nick’s voice sounded behind him. “Did you just throw a _fireball_!? Dude, that is _awesome_!”

Blaine glared at Nick for a second before looking back at Kurt. “Baby, you know I love you, but considering how uncoordinated your throwing aim usually is, maybe throwing _literal_ fire isn’t such a good idea,” he said, cautiously.

“Well, lucky for us, I don’t have to have good aim when it comes to throwing fireballs,” Kurt retorted. “The fireball knows where I want it to go, and it just goes there on its own. I just need to toss it in the general vicinity, magic does the rest.” He tucked his head back into Blaine’s chest and mumbled, “So, can I go back to sleep now?”

“The fire was only one out of three reasons I gave you for needing to get up now. But nice try,” Blaine answered, playfully.

“I can magically alter the temperature of the water in the shower too, you know,” he said.

“Okay…” Blaine agreed. “But Cooper and Caitlin will still be here soon. And we need to make breakfast. We have a whole pack to feed. And I know you don’t want my brother learning about your magic, so…”

“Ugh, fine…I’ll get up,” he acquiesced. “Just let me go pee first.” Kurt sat up and looked around the room. “Dammit! I have to go outside for that, don’t I?”

“Yup!” Blaine replied, popping the ‘p’ at the end. “Come on. I’ll go with you. I need to empty my bladder as well.”

The two boys then got up and walked outside while still completely naked. It had stopped snowing while they boys were asleep, but it was still cold enough that none of the fallen snow had melted yet. After relieving themselves, they started walking back to the cabin, when Blaine pulled on Kurt’s hand, tugging him closer. “Hold on a second. I need to do something first.” Pushing Kurt up against the nearest tree, Blaine began kissing him passionately. When the kiss broke, he smirked at Kurt. “Okay, I feel better now. Let’s go.” He then stepped away from Kurt, attempting to head back to the cabin.

“Oh hell no!” Kurt said, pulling Blaine back toward him and kissing him again. _**< <**You don’t just get to kiss me like that and walk away. You need to finish what you started! **> > **_He circled his arms around Blaine’s waist and grabbed his ass, pushing their bodies closer together.

_**< <**Prep yourself, **> >**_ Blaine ordered, after a few minutes of grinding against each other while making out.

_**< <**Yes, Alpha. **> >**_ Kurt then snapped his fingers to comply with the command.

Blaine moved Kurt’s arms so they were now around his neck, rather than his waist, then lifted one of Kurt’s legs, hooking it on his hip. He lined himself up with Kurt’s hole then slowly pressed inside. Once he was fully seated inside of Kurt, Kurt hopped up, wrapping his other leg around Blaine’s waist, so that he was only being held up by Blaine and the tree he was pressed against.

“Well, that wasn’t very smart of you at all,” Blaine teased. He carried Kurt away from the tree, then gently lowered him onto the ground.

“Oh, fuck, that snow is cold,” Kurt said. He immediately forgot about the cold and the snow as soon as Blaine began thrusting into him again. “Oh dear god that feels good. Keep doing that. Please keep doing that.”

“Anything for you, my love.” Blaine continuously alternated the speed and intensity of his thrusts, while occasionally rotating and swiveling his hips until Kurt cried out that he was close. Wrapping a hand tightly around Kurt’s erection, Blaine began vigorously jerking him off while relentlessly thrusting into him. After Kurt came, it took a handful more thrusts for Blaine to tip over the edge himself.

“Don’t you dare say ‘I told you so’,” Kurt warned, as Blaine started to pull out.

“ _Moi_?” Blaine replied, drawing out the word while placing a hand on his chest, pretending to be offended. “Now why would I do such a thing?” He helped Kurt to stand up, kissed him on the cheek, and quietly added, “Thank you for indulging me. I love you.”

“I love you too. But now I really need to shower,” he said, using snow to try to wash cum off of his stomach.

“Well then we better hurry back to the cabin before Cooper and Caitlin show up,” Blaine agreed, picking Kurt up and tossing him over his shoulder before racing back to the cabin.

\---

The rest of the pack was awake when they entered the cabin. “Shower’s all yours,” Wes said, wrapping a towel around himself while handing another one to Nick as they stepped out of the tub.

“How did you know I wanted to take a shower?” Kurt asked, cautiously, as Blaine lowered him back to his feet.

“You guys weren’t _that_ far away,” Wes replied, shrugging. “We heard you.”

“Right; of course.” Kurt walked over to his overnight bag to get out his hygiene products then hurried over to the shower and started up the water.

“May I join you?” Blaine asked, timidly. “Or are you still upset that I tricked you into having sex in the snow?”

“You may join me,” he replied. “ _But_!” he pointed threateningly at Blaine, “No funny business. I just want to scrub this dirt off of me and get out before your brother arrives.”

“Okay,” Blaine agreed, hastily grabbing his own products before joining his mate in the shower.

“Well, I guess that means you’re feeling normal again?” Wes asked Kurt, in a slightly teasing tone. “No more craving Blaine’s constant touch?”

“Hmm…” Kurt hummed, looking contemplative, as he lathered soap over his body. “Yeah, you’re right. I didn’t even think about that. I guess it really was the moon causing whatever that was yesterday.”

After a quick shower, Kurt tossed on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt then went over to the kitchen to start breakfast. “I wanted to make French toast; are you guys okay with that?” he asked getting the ingredients out of the mini fridge.

“You’re still gonna cook the bacon too, right?” David asked.

“Yeah, of course,” he replied. “And whatever eggs I don’t need for the French toast batter, I’ll just scramble up separately. Unless you guys want something else?”

“Dude, French toast, bacon, and eggs sounds like _heaven_ ,” Jeff told him. All the other boys agreed, so Kurt began mixing up everything to make their breakfast.

“I’ll brew the coffee,” Blaine added. “Oh, and guys, there’s orange juice and milk too.”

\---

Kurt had just taken the first few pieces of toast, bacon, and eggs off the griddle when Cooper’s voice sounded outside the cabin door along with a soft knock on the frame. “Knock, knock little brother.”

“Come on in, Coop.” Blaine replied, distributing the food to his packmates while Kurt placed more food on the griddle to be cooked.

“That smells _so_ good,” Cooper said, entering the cabin and taking a seat on one of the mattresses, Caitlin following his lead. “Is that _bacon_ I smell?”

“It is; but you’ll have to wait a bit longer before you can have some because all the cooked pieces are already accounted for,” Blaine told him. “Can I get you guys any coffee or orange juice while you wait?”

Cooper requested coffee while Caitlin asked for orange juice. When Blaine reached past Kurt to get the coffee pot, Kurt sighed heavily. “Sweetie, if you’re going to be this close to the stove while I’m cooking, could you please put some clothes on? I don’t need you getting burned by some errant bacon grease.” Looking away from the stove his eyes traveled down the length of his mate’s body, briefly resting on his cock, before averting his eyes back to the food his was cooking.

“I appreciate the concern, but a little bit of bacon grease isn’t going to hurt me,” Blaine replied, chuckling, before giving Kurt a quick kiss on the cheek. “It might sting for a fraction of a second, but it won’t leave any burn marks or anything – not even a hint of pink skin. It will take a lot more than _that_ to do any real damage.” He winked at Kurt then stepped away from the stove to serve the beverages he poured.

“So…uh, can we talk about last night?” Cooper asked, hesitantly, after taking a sip of his coffee. “You know, when Kurt was able to use his commands on us while in wolf form? And what was that all about anyway? With you guys stopping Caity and I from trying to take down that buck for dinner?”

“Well, first of all,” Blaine began, “the pack and I had been stalking that buck across the woods for a few minutes before the two of you decided you were just going to charge in and steal it from us. Secondly, in what world did you think it would be possible for you and Caitlin to take that buck down on your own? In case you hadn’t noticed, it took 4 of us,” he motioned toward himself, Kurt, Wes, and David, “to take him down. And both Kurt and I are almost a whole foot bigger than you and Caitlin are; plus, as an _Alpha_ , I’m twice as strong as you are – and Kurt’s _almost_ as equally as strong as I am. So, if the two of us couldn’t take him down on our own, how the hell did you expect to do it? The only thing you would have accomplished is scaring all three deer away, forcing _all_ of us – yourselves included – to continue hunting for new prey.”

“I think you’re underestimating how strong Caitlin and I are, Blainey,” Cooper replied. “The two of us have taken down a deer on our own before.”

“A buck that size? Or a deer closer to the size of the doe the other boys took down?” Blaine challenged.

“It doesn’t matter,” Cooper said, waving off Blaine’s questions. “The point is: _you_ stepped in our way, then your mate _ordered_ us not to move before _ordering_ us again to focus on the fawn – leaving the doe and buck to you and your pack. It was uncalled for.”

Kurt tossed his spatula down onto the griddle with a loud clang then angrily stepped away from the stove. “No, what’s uncalled for is your attitude!” he shouted at Cooper. Trent quickly took over cooking duties as Kurt marched over to where Cooper was sitting, to stand next to Blaine, while the rest of the pack looked on in shocked silence. “Your brother is a _pack Alpha_ ,” Kurt continued. “These are _his_ woods you are in right now. And you _will_ show him some respect. Yes, it’s true, _I_ ordered you to stop when you wanted to go after that buck, but _only_ because you were completely disregarding Blaine’s warnings. As for the orders I gave for the hunt, those came directly from Blaine. _He_ asked me to issue _his_ strategy to everyone.”

Kurt took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Look,” he continued, “I know we are not your pack, and Blaine is not your Alpha, but that doesn’t mean you get to ignore us and do whatever the hell you want; not when you are on his land. If Blaine was not your brother, and he was just another Alpha, would you have challenged him like that last night? Would you have still gone charging after that buck, even though you saw an entire pack staking out the area and plotting an ambush? Because if your answer is ‘yes’, then you need to change your tune _real fast_ because one of these days you will get a rude awakening. And if your answer is ‘no’, then think about why that is for a second. Why would you challenge Blaine like that and not any other Alpha? Hmm? He may be your little brother, but he’s also an adult pack Alpha; and he deserves to be treated like one.”

“Thank you, baby,” Blaine told Kurt, quietly. He looked back at his brother and added, “I should have guessed that sign of remorse you gave us after you ate wasn’t sincere.”

“Hey, that’s not fair,” Cooper protested.

“How?” Blaine scoffed. “How is that not fair? Look, I don’t know what it’s like in your pack, or what Caitlin’s mother is like as an Alpha, but I do know that in _my_ pack…we don’t tolerate selfishness. If I was hungry and I saw Nick hunting a rabbit for dinner, I would never charge past him and steal that rabbit for myself. I might help him corner it, so that he can get a clean shot at it, but I wouldn’t take it from him. In this pack, we help each other out, we work together, and we make sure that _everyone_ in the pack is taken care of.”

“But does that offering extend to us since we’re not pack?” Caitlin asked. “I mean, you had your mate _order_ us to take down a _fawn_ , when we were clearly interested in a _buck_. How is a fawn supposed to ‘take care of us’ as you put it?”

“What are you talking about? There was more than enough meat on that deer to feed you both,” Blaine replied. “You didn’t even finish it! Even if you could have taken down that buck by yourselves – which I still think is impossible – most of the meat on it would have gone to waste. By instructing you to take the fawn, I was ensuring that _all_ of us got to eat.”

“Speaking of eating…” Kurt interrupted, gently placing a hand on Blaine’s back to get his attention, “your breakfast is ready.” Glancing over at Cooper and Caitlin, he added, “Yours too…if you still want it, that is.”

Once everyone had their food and began eating, Cooper spoke up again. “You still didn’t answer how Kurt was able to command us – and the rest of your pack – while in wolf form. How is it possible that I could hear his commands in my head so crystal clear as if he was speaking in English? Alpha-commands don’t work like that, Blainey; they just don’t. So what the hell was that?”

Blaine looked at Kurt, silently wondering how to answer. Kurt sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know,” Kurt replied. “I’ve never done that before. I was honestly just as shocked as you were when you followed my order to stop. Giving the command was an impulse reaction to you disobeying Blaine; I wasn’t actually expecting you to hear me or obey me. Blaine was also able to hear me give you the command – because of our telepathic link – then he used the knowledge of me being understood to have me relay his hunting strategy, hoping it would work in the same way; which it did. And for your information, the commands I give are _not_ Alpha-commands. We already know that they work, feel, and sound differently. _How_ they work, or _why_ they work, are still a mystery. I can only guess that it has _something_ to do with me being a white werewolf; beyond that, I have no clue. I mean, it’s not like there is a lot of information about white werewolves out there for me to research; nor do I know any other white werewolves to discuss these things with. I wasn’t born with an instruction manual.”

“Cooper,” Wes interjected, hesitantly, “Kurt’s not going to be able to give you answers to questions just because he was born with a genetic marker that makes his fur white. That would be like saying you know everything there is to know about people with blue eyes, because you also have blue eyes. Werewolves all over the world have been trying to find out more information about the all-white werewolves for _centuries_. We know absolutely _nothing_ of their origins or their disappearance. All we have are a handful of stories that talk about how _revered_ and _respected_ they were, as well as some historical drawings and paintings that were somehow miraculously preserved for over a thousand years. And now that I’m thinking about it…a lot of the stories that talk about white werewolves commanding respect…don’t they actually specify _wolves_?

“When the pack realized Kurt could give his Seigneur-commands, we figured out that we should have been looking at these stories about the white werewolves literally – that they could literally command other werewolves. But a lot of these stories actually say white _wolves_ commanded respect and exuded authority; they don’t say white _were_ wolves. And if we’re supposed to be taking them literally…then that means it’s not just shorthand or lazy writing…these stories are telling us that they could literally give commands _as_ wolves.”

“Couldn’t you guys just take him to a werewolf doctor to get some tests run on him?” Caitlin asked. “I’m sure there’s _something_ they could do. Blood tests, tissue tests, MRIs, CAT scans, biopsies… We have the technology to examine things a little closer and maybe figure some things out. It’s better than trying to interpret the meaning behind old wives’ tales, isn’t it?”

“No!” Kurt shouted. “I will not be dissected like some lab rat! This… _this_ is the exact reason I was raised the way I was; why I had so little interaction with other werewolves. You know, I expect to be treated as a _freak_ by humans because of my sexuality…but I thought I’d receive more compassion, more respect, from my soulmate’s family – correction, _my_ family. But hey, I shouldn’t be too shocked…I mean, you don’t even respect _Blaine_ , so why would you respect his soulmate?” He then stormed out of the cabin, slamming the door behind him. Once he was outside, he sent Blaine a message, _**< <**Please don’t follow me. I just want to cool off by myself for a moment. I’ll come back inside in a few minutes. I’ll be fine. I promise. **> >**_

After hearing Kurt’s request, and noticing some of his pack wanting to go after him, Blaine motioned for his pack to stay in the cabin and let Kurt cool off alone. “Let him go,” he told them quietly. He then turned his attention to his brother and his brother’s mate. “What the hell is wrong with the two of you?” he asked, angrily.

“Aren’t you going after him?” Cooper said, pointing to the door, ignoring the question being asked.

“He asked me not to, now will you –” Blaine began, before getting cut off by Cooper.

“Asked or _ordered_?” he questioned Blaine, before he was finished speaking.

“ _Asked_ ,” Blaine told him. “Wow, you really don’t like that he is capable of giving commands, do you?”

“I _choose_ to follow my Alpha,” Cooper replied. “I accept her commands because I chose her to be my leader. I didn’t choose to obey _him_.”

“He has given you a whole two…count them _1, 2_ commands,” Blaine said, counting on his fingers in an exaggerated fashion. “One of which _I_ asked him to give you. The other, even though it didn’t _directly_ come from me, was given on my behalf. So don’t get mad at him for something that I did.”

“I think you’re forgetting the commands he gave me back at the house the other day,” Cooper told him.

“Oh my god, Cooper,” Blaine said, exasperated. “He was giving you a demonstration, so you would understand what he meant. If he had just said that he could order non-pack werewolves in the same way an Alpha can order their pack, you wouldn’t have believed him. He had to show you for you to understand that he was telling the truth; just like when you laughed and refused to believe that he was an all-white werewolf until he shifted and showed you.” He took a few deep breaths to help calm himself. “Kurt doesn’t just give commands to whomever he feels like, whenever he feels like it. He _rarely_ ever uses his ability at all – which is probably why it’s taken him this long to realize he can actually use his commands as a wolf. In the entire time I’ve known him – not including the commands he’s given you – he’s only ever used his ability to command a non-pack werewolf _once_ , and he’s only ever commanded me _twice_ ; any other commands he’s given to _any_ werewolf were because he was _specifically asked_ to give them. And before you say anything the one time he commanded a non-pack werewolf happened to coincide with one of the times he commanded me – he was trying to put an end to an argument that Thad and I were having in the middle of the school cafeteria; so his actions were completely justified.”

“And his other command to you?” Cooper asked. “Was _that_ completely justified as well?”

“His other command to me was when he was half asleep asking me to fuck him – something I was already planning on doing anyway and only hesitated on _because_ he was half asleep, and I didn’t want to wake him – so, yes, I was more than happy to comply with his order,” Blaine told him. “I meant it when I said he doesn’t just give out commands willy-nilly. He would much rather that _I_ be the one doing the commanding. And once again, considering _both_ of the commands he gave you last night were on my behalf, then that means you actually have a problem with _me_ , not him.” Switching his focus to Caitlin, he added, “And why the hell would you even _think_ to suggest that I take him to get tests done on him? Especially since he very specifically _told_ you the other day that that was exactly why his parents kept him away from other werewolves growing up? He said he did not want to be an experiment, nor did he want to be exploited. And for you to not only suggest that is exactly what we do, but to completely disregard him – his wants and his needs – by speaking to the pack as a whole as if he wasn’t even in the room, and telling us to take him to the doctor… Exactly what kind of answers are you hoping to get anyway?”

“Blaine, come on,” Cooper said, jumping to Caitlin’s defense. “There’s no need to talk to my mate like that.”

“No? But it’s okay for the two of you to talk to – and about – _my_ mate like that?” Blaine replied. “You are my _brother_ , Coop. The two of you are my family. And Kurt is my _mate_. Which means he is _your_ family too. But ever since last night when he ordered you –”

“He’s a Delta!” Caitlin shouted, cutting Blaine off. “He thinks he’s better than us because he can tell us what to do and we’re forced to listen to him against our will? He’s not; he’s not better than us! He’s a Delta, just like we are. Which means he shouldn’t even be able to give commands in the first place. Especially not while in wolf form. I mean, if an _Alpha_ isn’t even capable of doing that, why should he? It’s not fair.”

“Oh…my…god,” Blaine said, slowly, as realization dawned on him. “You’re _jealous_. That’s why you’re getting so bent out of shape over him issuing commands on my behalf. Because you’re jealous that a werewolf with the same classification as you has capabilities that you don’t. Well, here’s a newsflash for you, Kurt _doesn’t_ think he’s better than you. Your jealousy is making you think that he believes that. Because if Kurt did think that way, then he would have commanded you to shut the hell up and apologize for your extremely rude behavior toward him – and to me.”

“Apologize to _you_? For what?” Caitlin asked.

“For the blatant sign of disrespect you showed me last night when you ignored me and my pack staking out the pond and tried to charge past us; for the blatant disregard of my verbal and physical warnings to back off our prey; for getting angry and upset that _I_ came up with a strategy that allowed _everyone_ , not _just_ you and Cooper, to eat a full meal – a full meal that included leftovers by the way, in case you got hungry again later in the night…which you did,” he listed. “These are my woods. If you and Cooper weren’t my family, I would have mauled the hell out of you for committing such grievous transgressions against me; and my pack would’ve been right there behind me backing my every move.”

“I hate to break this to you Blaine,” Caitlin started, “but your parents own this campground. Which means that as their eldest son’s mate, I have just as much right to hunt those deer as you; maybe even more.”

“And I hate to break this to you, _Caitlin_ ,” Blaine snarked, “but as of February of this year, these woods became _mine_. My parents’ names may be on all the legal paperwork, but that’s just because I’m still considered a minor under the human laws that govern this country; and they are also eligible for certain tax breaks, that I don’t qualify for, that bring the maintenance costs down by a considerable margin. So, my parents own this campground in _name only_. These woods belong to _me_.

“And even if they didn’t,” he continued, “you chose not to heed the warnings of a _pack Alpha_. If you wouldn’t tolerate some random Delta ignoring your mother, why would you think it’s okay for a Delta such as yourself to ignore me? I’m not a juvenile werewolf anymore. I haven’t been for almost a year now. And I know that this is only the second time you’ve seen me since I turned 16, but that’s no excuse for treating me like a child with zero power or rank. Because the truth is: _I. Out. Rank. You_. I _also_ out-rank Cooper. Therefore, the fact that I had a visual claim on those deer meant you had _zero_ right to hunt them. And if you don’t like that…too bad. Deal with it.”

“Um…” Cooper began, hesitantly. “Maybe we should just go back to our cabin…give everyone some breathing space to talk and think.”

Blaine nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.”

\---

_**< <**Baby? You okay? **> >**_ Blaine asked Kurt, as soon as his brother and Caitlin left the cabin. _**< <**Cooper and Cait just left to go back to their own cabin. It’s okay to come back now, if you want. **> >**_

**_< <_** _I’m sitting in my car, **> >**_ Kurt replied. _**< <**Join me? I’m not ready to go back yet. **> >**_

**_< <_** _I’ll be right there, **> >**_ he agreed. “I’m going to go talk to Kurt. I’ll be back soon,” Blaine told the pack.

When he reached the clearing where Kurt’s car was parked, Blaine opened the back door and slid into the seat next to Kurt. “How are you?”

“I’m okay,” Kurt replied, sincerely. “Sad; but okay.”

Blaine opened his mouth to reply, then paused and glanced around the car. “It’s _really_ quiet in here…and _warm_ too,” he said. “Did you put up a sound barrier or do something to the temperature?”

“Yeah, I didn’t want to hear whatever you guys were talking about when I left,” Kurt told him. “I just wanted to sit alone with my thoughts and think. And it was too chilly to sit here without a sweater, so I used my magic to adjust the interior temperature – and to disarm the alarm and unlock the door since I forgot my keys back at the cabin.”

“Well…” he began, trying to bring their conversation back on topic, “I found out why Caitlin was acting like a bitch. She’s jealous of you.”

“Of me? Why?” Kurt asked, confused. “She has no reason to be jealous of me; I’m nothing special.”

“That’s not true at all. You are _extremely_ special. In more ways than I can count. But she’s jealous because in her eyes you are a Delta of equal rank to her,” he told Kurt. “She doesn’t think it’s fair that you can use Alpha-like commands while she can’t.”

“And your brother?” Kurt asked. “Does he feel the same way? Or is there another reason he was acting like he was earlier?”

“My brother is just an idiot,” Blaine said, earning a small smile from Kurt. “Part of his excuse for his attitude is that he was defending his mate – probably feeling her emotions through their bond. The other part is that he _hates_ taking orders from people. And I don’t just mean other werewolves. Anyone. It’s why he has so much trouble holding down a job. Because he gets so upset when people try to tell him what to do. He’s lucky that Caitlin makes enough money at her job to support them both, so he doesn’t _have_ to work. I’ve never really understood his issue because I’m an Alpha and even I don’t mind following orders in a school or work type environment; I’m also okay with following an occasional order from you as well. But Cooper, he can’t tolerate being told what to do. The only reason he doesn’t complain when his Alpha gives him orders is because he knows that, as a Delta, he _has_ to follow orders from his own pack Alpha. And he _chose_ Ella as the Alpha he was going to follow; he has a strong pack bond with her; a strong familial-bond with her; and he has a soul-bond with her daughter. His pack leader is his family.”

“And I’m not?” Kurt asked.

“You are,” Blaine replied. “He just hasn’t realized that yet. He also hasn’t had enough time to really form a _proper_ bond with you yet either. Not to mention, both him and Caitlin still look at _me_ as a juvenile werewolf. They aren’t showing me the same respect and consideration that they would to other adult Alphas – or even to other adult werewolves. I’m just Cooper’s baby brother. Which means they’re not really looking at you as my _soul_ mate, but more like my _pack_ mate.

“That’s why they blatantly ignored that we were already staking out the deer, then disregarded my warnings to back off. They forget that I have more power and rank than them. They were acting as if I was a child throwing a temper tantrum because they tried to take my toy away; rather than an adult giving them a cautionary warning that the prey they coveted was already claimed.

“This visit is only the second time I’ve seen them since I matured into adulthood and started my own pack,” he continued. “The first time was only for three days during summer vacation; and I unfortunately didn’t get to spend a lot of time with them while they were in town. I let them stay in what is now our apartment, while I slept upstairs in my old bedroom since I hadn’t fully moved into the basement yet. There was a full moon on the second night they were in town; they came out here to the campgrounds, but for most of the night they didn’t really cross our paths. And now that I’m looking back on it, I can tell that they were basically treating me and my pack like a group of kids having an unsupervised sleepover. They occasionally dropped by to make sure we weren’t ‘getting into trouble’, maybe play a game or two with us, or swim with us for a bit…but for the most part, they left us alone. At the time I thought it was because they felt like they were imposing on us too much; now I realize that couldn’t have been further from the truth.”

“So, basically, what you’re saying is: don’t take it personally,” Kurt summarized.

“Not exactly,” Blaine replied. “Just…they have their own issues, jealousies, and insecurities that are causing them to throw a hissy-fit and blame everyone except themselves for their own actions. You have every right to be hurt and offended by the things they said. But hopefully, we were able to shed some perspective on them, make them realize their mistakes. After all, I did tell them that if they weren’t my family then I would have mauled them for stunt they tried to pull last night; and I know my pack would’ve backed me up and helped me out.”

“You did not tell them that!” Kurt admonished him.

“I did,” he confirmed. “And I wasn’t joking around either. If some lower-ranked werewolves, that I didn’t know, disrespected me like that on a full moon, on my own land…you better believe I would make them pay for it.”

“Is it strange that I’m actually a little turned on by that?” Kurt wondered. “And speaking of turned on…where are your clothes?”

Blaine laughed then kissed Kurt in a soft open-mouthed kiss. “I haven’t gotten around to putting clothes on yet; sorry. And it’s not like the five inches of snow on the ground or the cold breeze is going to bother me too much if I don’t get dressed.”

“Yeah, well, you’re lucky you’re cute and that I enjoy seeing you naked,” he replied.

“Mmhmm, I’m _very_ lucky,” Blaine agreed, kissing Kurt again, while moving to straddle Kurt’s lap.

\---

A few hours later, all of the boys back at the cabin had finally gotten dressed before making lunch. Kurt had even changed out of his sweatpants and t-shirt and into a pair of skinny jeans, a button-down shirt and a waistcoat. For lunch the boys heated up several ‘family-size’ cans of beef stew and served it over white rice. After they finished eating and cleaned up all the dishes, Blaine’s phone chimed with an incoming text.

“It’s Cooper,” Blaine said, looking at his phone. “He and Caitlin want to come over and apologize.”

“Oh really?” Kurt replied. “Hmm…see if he still wants to apologize after you tell him we already ate lunch and there are no leftovers.”

“You’re cruel,” Blaine teased, smiling at his mate. He typed out a reply to Cooper, receiving another text back seconds later causing Blaine to blink at his phone in surprise. “Huh…Well, according to his text, he’s not looking for a free meal. He says they’ll be here any second now to apologize in person.”

A moment later there was a soft knock on the door. Blaine opened the door and motioned for Cooper and Caitlin to come inside. “I’m sorry,” Cooper began, looking ashamed. “I owe you an apology…both of you,” he corrected, looking back-and-forth between Blaine and Kurt.

Blaine stayed silent, staring at his brother, waiting for him to continue. Taking a deep breath, Cooper began his full apology. “I keep forgetting that you’re technically an adult now. When I look at you, I just see my little brother. Living out in L.A., I’ve missed seeing you grow up and mature. When you got angry at us earlier, I thought you were just overreacting; that’s why I tried to shut you down. Then you compared yourself to Ella, and reminded us that you actually out-rank both of us, it made me think that maybe your anger was justified. That’s why I suggested we leave. But for some reason, I just couldn’t brush off the feeling like you were underestimating me while giving yourself too much credit. Now, I realize those were Caitlin’s feelings, not mine. Though I have to admit I didn’t come to that conclusion on my own. I called mom and dad to get their opinion. I thought a change of perspective might help me to figure things out. I also wanted to know if they really did give you the campgrounds, or if you had maybe misinterpreted something they said. And after mom and dad thoroughly chewed-out _both_ of us with such immense ferocity that makes me extremely grateful the conversation took place over the phone and not in person, I feel like simple words of apology aren’t enough. I am so sorry, Blainey. I never, _ever_ meant to make you feel like I was belittling you.

“And Kurt,” he continued, switching his focus to his brother’s mate, “I shouldn’t have gotten angry at you for the orders you gave. You were right to stop me and Caitlin from charging that buck. I realize now that doing so would have been a huge mistake – for multiple reasons. And I know Blaine had told you relay the other order; and that you did so because not only is he your mate…but because he’s also your Alpha. Blaine’s strategy was smart, effective, and well thought out. But I’ve never been very good with taking orders from people before. Being told what to do…it makes me feel like people don’t trust my judgement; like they don’t think I’m capable of thinking on my own. I know that’s not always the case, but I still can’t help but think of it as a personal attack. It’s a habit that I am trying really hard to break. I’m not trying to excuse my behavior here; I know that’s _my_ problem, not yours. I’m just hoping it might explain why I got so defensive. I really am very sorry for that. I’m also sorry that I got upset when you lashed out at us in defense of Blaine. I would have done the same thing had someone spoken to my mate like that. I just want you to know that despite my misguided anger, and my erroneous dismissal of Blaine’s rank and pack status, I actually do consider you to be a part of my family; and I’m sorry if I made you feel that I didn’t accept you.” Cooper bowed his head in remorse after his apology then glanced at Caitlin nodding at her to speak.

Caitlin took a few deep breaths, letting them out slowly, her face showed a mixture of pain and anger as she looked directly at Blaine. “I would also like to extend an apology to you both,” she began, appearing somewhat reluctant, eyes never leaving Blaine’s face. “First, I am sorry for the lack of respect I showed you both last night and again this morning. I was treating you as though you were a juvenile werewolf _pretending_ to be a grown-up, rather than the adult you are. That was an error on my part; and I will actively work at making sure it’s one I don’t repeat.

“Secondly, I allowed my jealousy of Kurt to cloud my judgment. I had interpreted the order for me and Cooper tackle the fawn as Kurt punishing us for trying to sneak past you in order to go after the buck. To me, it appeared as though he was lauding himself as a way to make us feel inferior; forcing Cooper and I to tag-team a fawn that either one of us could have very easily taken down on our own. I thought that he was being arrogant and egotistical; that he was claiming he was superior to us. I assumed that he felt like we weren’t capable of overpowering anything stronger than a baby doe; or that we weren’t deserving of the things we wanted. After talking to your and Cooper’s parents, I realize I may have misconstrued the situation.

“I would also like to apologize for suggesting that tests be performed on Kurt,” she added. “I meant no disrespect. I was only thinking about the possibility of finding real scientific evidence and explanations for how and why he is able to…do the things he does, rather than guess by trying to interpret old wives’ tales passed down through generations as a basis for understanding his…unique skill set. It didn’t occur to me…the pain or trauma that might cause him. It was a momentary lapse in judgement. And I’m sorry.” Caitlin quickly bowed her head in a way that more resembled a curt nod rather than a show of deference that she meant it to be; then she took a few steps backwards to add some separation between her and the other werewolves in the room, placing Cooper between her and everyone else.

“May I ask why you delivered the second half of your apology to _me_? Instead of to _Kurt_?” Blaine asked her.

Again she looked directly at Blaine as she answered, “Because you’re the Alpha. You hold the power and the rank within your pack – as well as your relationship.”

Blaine drew in a breath to refute that, but Kurt stopped him by placing a hand on his arm. “Honey, it’s fine. Really. I saw and heard the apology. That’s good enough,” Kurt told him.

Blaine turned to look at Kurt. “Are you sure?” he asked, checking Kurt’s eyes for a sign that he may not be telling the whole truth.

“I’m sure,” Kurt replied, voice sincere, while giving Blaine a small smile.

“Okay,” he agreed. Looking back at his brother and Caitlin, Blaine smiled. “Apology accepted.”

Cooper clapped his hands together once then balled both hands into fists as he cheered, “Yes!” A bright grin took over his face just before jumping forward to hug his brother. “Thank you, Blainey. I am so, so sorry for all of that. I really am. In my head, I know you’re an adult. I do. It’s just…sometimes I forget. I mean, you’re my baby brother, you know? I guess, in my heart, I’m not ready to see you grow up; so I sometimes still treat you like a little kid. I didn’t mean to disrespect you. Or your mate.” Pulling back from the hug, he looked over at Kurt. “Speaking of which…come here.” He curled his hands in a ‘bring it in’ motion, while opening his arms in invitation for a hug.

Kurt giggled, then stepped forward into Cooper’s embrace. “I appreciate the apology, Cooper. Thank you. It really does make me feel a whole lot better that you are actually willing to accept me as I am.”

“Of course I am!” Cooper exclaimed. “You’re my new little brother after all.”

\---

Cooper and Caitlin stayed at the boys’ cabin for a little while longer talking and hanging out with everyone. It was getting later, so Blaine and Kurt decided they should head to Lima soon. Wes and David would be following them in David’s car, and the two of them – plus Blaine – would be staying at the motel down the street from the Hudson-Hummel home. They would then drive Blaine over to Kurt’s on Monday afternoon before heading back to Westerville.

_**< <**Before we go… **> >**_ Kurt hesitated, _**< <**would you mind if I ask Cooper and Caitlin to take a vow of silence? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Do you think it’s necessary_? **> >** Blaine checked, not refusing the request, but not giving permission either.

_**< <**Yeah. I do, **> >**_ he replied. _**< <**Don’t kill me, but…while they were giving their apologies, I sort of used magic to determine how sincere they were being. Cooper’s apology was _very _sincere and heartfelt. He meant every word he said. He honestly feels horrible and_ so _extremely guilty for the way he treated both of us. But Caitlin…her apology to_ you _was sincere. She meant that. However her apology to me…it felt forced. She knows what she did was wrong, and she does feel_ some _remorse; just not nearly as much as she does for the disrespect that she showed you. In a way, she feels like her anger at me was justified, and therefore, she shouldn’t have to apologize. Not to mention, she still feels quite a bit of jealousy and resentment toward me. That’s why she directed her apology to me at you; she was trying to prove to me that I don’t have as much power as she believes I perceive myself to have; that while I may have abilities similar to an Alpha, I don’t have the rank of one. And I was thinking…if Cooper felt the need to talk things through with your parents to get another perspective on the situation…who’s to say she won’t feel the need to talk it out with_ her _parents? Especially since her mother is an Alpha. If she really is that jealous over a supposed Delta having Alpha-like capabilities and then some, I can only imagine she’d want to hear an Alpha’s viewpoint; that way she can feel like her jealousy is also justified. And I just don’t want to take any chances that she might tell them about me. **> >**_

**_< <_** _I think that makes perfect sense, **> >** _Blaine agreed. _**< <**Okay. Issue the vow. Do you need anything special for it? Or…? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Nope. I’m good. Thank you, **> >**_ he told Blaine before turning toward Cooper and Caitlin. “Hey, um, guys,” Kurt began hesitantly, “before Blaine and I leave to go to my dad’s…I know I’ve already asked you not to say anything about the fact that I’m a white werewolf to anyone. But seeing as how we’ve _all_ learned a few new things about white werewolves this weekend, I just wanted to ask again. Because I really don’t want to command you stay quiet. I’d rather you just make a promise and stick to your word.”

“You have my word, Kurt,” Cooper said. “My lips are sealed.”

“Agreed,” Caitlin replied.

“Would you mind terribly if I asked that you make a…formal vow?” Kurt said, biting his bottom lip in nervousness.

“You mean like a verbal contract?” Cooper checked. At Kurt’s nod, Cooper shrugged and replied, “Sure. Why not? Caity? You cool with that?”

“Of course,” she replied, smiling and nodding.

“Okay…can you please raise your left hand –” he began.

“Don’t you mean our _right_ hand?” Cooper joked, holding up his right while placing his left on an imaginary bible as if he was being sworn in as a witness in a courtroom.

Kurt shook his head. “No. I mean your _left_.” Once they complied with the request he continued. “Okay. Please repeat after me: I, _state your name_ …do solemnly swear…that I will not reveal through _any_ form of communication, verbal or otherwise… _anything_ that I have learned about the existence or abilities of all-white werewolves…nor will I hint at or suggest that Blaine’s soulmate, Kurt, has any knowledge of – or association with – all-white werewolves…I willingly pledge this vow to you on this day in front of these witnesses.” When they repeated the last phrase back to them, Kurt’s whole body relaxed, and he smiled at them gratefully, nodding his thanks. “Thank you. I accept your vow of silence.”

Cooper chuckled. “You are a strange person, you know that? But I like your style. You have that ‘dramatic flair’ thing going on. I can see why you and Blainey were Fated to be together. I also appreciate you wanting to refrain from the orders. I promise I will do my _absolute_ best to uphold my vow to you.”

“Thank you, Cooper,” Kurt replied. “I’m sure you’ll do fine; I have faith in you. And I’m sorry if it seems like I’m making a big deal over this to both of you…asking you to do something seemingly so ridiculous – like agreeing to a verbal contract…I guess I’m just paranoid. I’ve never had _this_ many people know about me like this before, you know? I mean, Blaine’s already ordered the pack not to say anything…and your parents promised me they wouldn’t say anything either…but I also see all of them every day. Once you go back to California…like I said, I’m just paranoid, is all.”

“I get it,” Cooper told him. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Well!” Blaine said, jumping into the conversation, “It is getting kind of late and we need to hit the road. We’ve got a long drive ahead of us. And I promised Burt I’d have Kurt there in time for dinner.”

“Alright, you enjoy your visit with your father-in-law. We’ll see you when you get back,” Cooper said, clapping Blaine on the back.

“Burt is a really great guy; so I’m sure I will enjoy my visit tremendously, thank you very much,” Blaine replied, smiling brightly.

When Cooper and Caitlin left to head back to their own cabin, the other boys hurriedly checked over the cabin to make sure everything was cleaned and/or put away properly. They put out the fire and shut off the generator then gathered all of their belongings and brought them out to their respective cars. After one last check to make sure they had everything, they piled into their cars and exited the campgrounds, grateful for the enchantment Kurt had placed on the road out to the highway.


	6. Chapter 6

Blaine startled awake, after a fitful night’s sleep away from his mate. He lay on top of his motel bed staring at the ceiling, hand slowing reaching down to play with his half hard cock.

Wes and David slowly began to stir awake on the bed next to his. David blinked at Blaine several times trying to focus his vision. “Are you _still_ jacking off? Did you even fall asleep last night? Or did you just lie awake all night masturbating?”

“I slept for a little while; not very well, but I did sleep,” Blaine responded. “But Kurt…he must have just woken up because he started sending me more pornographic images of himself again. It forced me awake.”

“That boy is just begging for trouble, isn’t he?” David said, chuckling.

“He’s certainly begging for _something_ ; but I don’t know that I’d call my dick ‘trouble’,” Blaine answered, stroking his cock a little harder.

“God, this room reeks of sex,” Wes complained, still half asleep. “I’m gonna go take a shower; surround myself in the fragrances of shampoo and body wash to drown out the scent.”

“Blame Kurt,” Blaine called after him as the door to the bathroom shut behind Wes. He moaned loudly, arching his back, while speeding up the movement on his cock.

“What time did you end up going to sleep last night anyway?” David wondered. “Because you were still jerking off when Wes and I went to bed. How long was Kurt sending you those telepathic sexts?”

“I was still masturbating for at least another hour after you both fell asleep,” Blaine told him. “I fell asleep about 20 minutes after that. Kurt just would not relent.”

“So, he was just sending you pornographic photos of himself masturbating in front of a mirror all night long?” David checked.

“Yeah, pretty much,” he agreed. “Photos and emotions. Verbal communication is limited due to distance. Got a few fragments of dirty talk though. And the photos he’s sending are so close in succession that it’s almost like looking through a flipbook. It’s practically torture seeing this without being able to touch him.”

“Have you been sending him photos back?” David asked.

“A few. But I can only send images from my perspective; and there isn’t a mirror in here except for the tiny thing above the bathroom sink. It doesn’t exactly have the same effect,” he answered. “Oh, fuck!” Blaine shouted as he finally came, releasing his orgasm over his hand and stomach. His whole body relaxed, feeling boneless, as he continued to lay on top of the bed. “Okay…I think he’s _finally_ done torturing me; he’s going to take a shower now.”

“Speaking of… I think Wes had the right idea; this room _really_ smells,” David told him, scrunching up his face in disgust.

“I can fix that,” Blaine said. He slowly sat up, then took a deep breath. He stuck both arms out to the sides then rotated them quickly in a windmill motion a few times. Dropping both arms back down, he sniffed at the air then nodded in approval. “There; that should solve that problem.”

“How did you…?” David said, trailing off, as he looked around the room in awe.

“I borrowed some of Kurt’s magic,” he replied. “Neutralized all odors – including that gross air freshener plugged in behind the dresser. Thankfully, that particular ability doesn’t require a lot of magical energy, so he doesn’t have to be in the same room as me for me to use it.” Blaine laid back down on the bed and let out a soft groan. “I still have a little over four hours before I can show up at Burt’s place. I don’t know if I want to try to sleep some more, or if I want to go down to IHOP and order breakfast.”

“I vote breakfast!” Wes said, exiting the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, and a pile of dirty clothes in his hands. He walked over to his overnight bag, swapping out the dirty clothes in his hands for clean ones, then got dressed.

“You guys realize I’m the only one with a car here, right?” David asked.

“Yes, but you love us; and we out-rank you,” Wes replied.

“I hate you,” David told him. He threw a pillow across the room at Wes, then got up and began looking through his overnight bag. Turning toward Blaine, he asked, “Are you showering before we eat or when we get back?”

“Just because you can no longer smell the cum on my stomach, doesn’t mean it’s not there,” Blaine replied. “I’m gonna shower now, if you don’t mind. Maybe the water might help me fully wake up.”

\---

After breakfast, the boys went to the mall to kill some time. The stores were crowded with last minute holiday shoppers, so after a several minutes of frustrated browsing and attempts at actual shopping, they stopped by movie theater instead. When their movie was over, they went to the food court, so Wes and David could eat lunch. Blaine would be eating lunch with Kurt’s family when he arrived at their house later, so he only ordered a small snack for himself. They headed back to the motel after they were done eating.

Once they were back at the motel, the three boys hurried to pack up their things, then drove Blaine over to the Hudson-Hummel house. “I appreciate you guys driving all the way out here just so I wouldn’t be alone while Kurt was spending time with his family,” Blaine told them.

“No problem, man,” David replied. “You’d do the same thing for any of us.”

“Exactly,” Wes agreed. “Besides, you did pay for our breakfast. And our lunch. So, it was kind of worth it.”

Blaine chuckled and shook his head. “Well, I’m still grateful for your company. And speaking of paying for things…here’s $20 for gas to get home. Kurt and I should be home around 6 o’clock or so Wednesday evening, depending on when exactly we leave. But that’s the target time for now. So, we’ll see you guys sometime after that, okay?”

“Alright,” Wes said, nodding. “I’ll hold down the fort ‘til then. You go enjoy spending time with your mate and human family.”

“I will,” he agreed.

“We’ll make sure you get inside okay before we take off, alright?” David told him.

Blaine nodded in agreement then exited the car and walked up the path to the house. Carole opened the door and ushered him inside almost as soon as he knocked on it. “Blaine, welcome, come on in,” Carole said taking his jacket and scarf and hanging them on the coat-tree next to the door. “Kurt! Blaine’s here!” she called toward the kitchen, where Kurt was icing some gingerbread cookies.

It took about two seconds for Kurt to dash through the kitchen door into the living room. He smiled brightly then jumped-hugged Blaine, wrapping his arms around him tightly. “You’re here!”

“I’m here,” Blaine replied, hugging back just as tight. _**< <**God, I have missed you! **> >**_

 ** _< <_** _I’ve missed you too, **> >**_ Kurt told him, nuzzling Blaine’s neck. _**< <**I’m so glad you’re here now. I wasn’t sure how much longer I was going to last. **> >**_

“Kurt, honey, why don’t you take Blaine up to your room to put his bags away,” Carole told them. “I’ll go get the air mattress out of the closet for him to sleep on tonight.”

“Huh? Oh! Yeah, okay,” Kurt replied, separating himself from Blaine. He took hold of Blaine’s hand and led him up the stairs to his old bedroom. As soon as they were inside, Blaine dropped his bags next to the door then pulled Kurt close for a deep, passionate kiss. When the kiss finally broke, Kurt smiled at him and said, “I was hoping you’d do that.”

“I’m glad because I really _needed_ to do that,” Blaine said, softly, still staring at Kurt’s lips. He leaned in again and kissed Kurt once more.

Carole cleared her throat as she knocked on the doorframe. “Sorry to interrupt.” She stepped into the room with the deflated air mattress, a blanket, and a pillow then placed them on the end of Kurt’s bed. Carole hesitated before leaving, looking at the two boys with an apprehensive expression. “Can I talk to you boys for a moment?” When they agreed, she walked over to the door, peered out into the hallway, then shut the door before turning back to Kurt and Blaine. “Look, I’m not sure how to say this, so I guess I’ll just come right out and say it. I know that your relationship is… _different_ than most teenagers. And I don’t just mean because of the social challenges you face because you are both boys either. There’s something… _more_ between you. Before you ask: no, I don’t know _how_ it’s different, and I don’t know why either. And I’m also not asking you to tell me. You are entitled to keep that secret. But I know there is something… _special_ about what you two share. And I have no reason to believe that this air mattress will actually be used while Blaine is here – just like I’m fairly certain it wasn’t used last time Blaine stayed overnight – but I have to at least put up a pretense for Finn’s sake. Otherwise, he’ll think it’s okay for him to have Rachel sleep over in his bed; and that is just _not_ going to happen. So, if you wouldn’t mind at least inflating the mattress and pretending to use it, I would appreciate it.”

“Carole, w-what…” Kurt stammered, trailing off, unsure of how to react to what Carole said to them.

“Before you met Blaine, I could see how lonely you felt, even when surrounded by friends,” she began. “Then you transferred to Dalton. Things changed so quickly after that. You didn’t even come home for a few days after your transfer. And when you did come home, it was to pack up some of your stuff, so you could move to Westerville to live with Blaine. In those few hours that you were here though, you looked the _happiest_ I have _ever_ seen you. It wasn’t just how happy you looked either. You seemed different – you _were_ different. More confident; more comfortable in your own skin; content.

“And the way your dad just so readily agreed to letting you go live with Blaine’s family? Without even attempting to discuss the situation with me beforehand – not that he needs my permission or anything; but under normal circumstances I’m sure he would have at least run the idea past me first – get my opinion on things. It’s just… I could sense a _change_ in you. And your dad too. He’s…” she sighed as she tried to figure out how to phrase what she was thinking, “he seems resigned. Like, he knows the situation is out of his hands, and he just has to go with it. And I _know_ your dad. If he has an issue with something, he’s not going to sit back and let it happen. So, for him to go along with things that I know he’s not completely comfortable with… there’s more going on than what is being said.

“Plus, I saw the way the two of you were when you visited here after your competition,” she continued, smiling softly at the two boys in front of her. “The way you are around each other… You are so in tune with one another. There is this familiarity there that a lot of couples who have been together for _years_ don’t have. And if that’s how you are with only a _week_ of knowing each other…” She trailed off, tossing her hands up in a way that implied that the words that were left unsaid should be obvious. “I can tell how much you boys care for each other; how _genuine_ those feelings are. What you share is unlike anything I’ve ever seen; especially in a couple as young as you both are.

“I also know that there are a lot of unknown… _forces_ in this world; things that ordinary people like me probably _shouldn’t_ know about,” she added, hesitantly. “I won’t ask questions; I know it’s not my place to know unless you choose to tell me. Burt hasn’t said a word to me about any of this, and I haven’t brought up any of my suspicions to him; and Finn _definitely_ has no clue there is anything even _remotely_ unusual concerning your relationship – so no need to worry there. I figure there is a _reason_ I’m not being told; and I respect that. And I’m fairly certain that whatever makes your relationship so special, it has to do with your mom.” Carole saw the look of shock on Kurt’s face and added, “The way your father talks about your mom… I know she was a very special person. But it’s what your dad _doesn’t_ say about her that makes me think there was more to her than meets the eye.”

“I…” Kurt began, worrying on his bottom lip while looking around nervously, “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” she told him. “Except that you two will play along with pretending to use this air mattress so Finn doesn’t get any stupid ideas. Oh, and one other thing…” She looked back and forth between both boys, finally settling her gaze on Blaine. “I get the feeling that being apart is… _difficult_ for both of you. I know Kurt seemed a little out of it last night – and this morning – when you weren’t here. So, if you need to, if it will make things easier for you both, I want you to know that you are welcome here _anytime_. You don’t need to stay away for my sake. As for Finn…let me handle him.”

“Thank you, Carole,” Blaine said, smiling gratefully. “I appreciate that. And don’t worry, I will make sure this air mattress appears slept in while I’m here.”

“I will let you get back to what you were doing now,” she said, winking at them. “But don’t take too long, or Finn will probably eat all the cookies before you have a chance to finish decorating them; that is, if he hasn’t done so already. Lunch should be ready soon too. And don’t forget,” she pointed at the air mattress again as she gave them both a meaningful glare before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

“So, uh, where were we?” Blaine said, flirtatiously, once Carole had exited the room. Before Kurt had a chance to answer, he picked Kurt up then walked over to the bed, gently dropping him onto it. Blaine lightly pushed Kurt backwards, so that he was lying on his back, then straddled Kurt’s hips, leaned down and began kissing him again.

As he kissed Kurt, Blaine started to rut against him, grinding their rapidly forming erections together. _**< <**I have _really _missed you, **> >**_ he silently told Kurt, not wanting to detach his lips from Kurt’s mouth. _**< <**If we didn’t have to rush, I would strip you bare and fuck you into this mattress. It would be hard and fast; then once I came, I would take my time and worship your entire body with my mouth, and watch you slowly fall apart. **> >**_

 ** _< <_** _I want that too, **> >**_ Kurt replied. He placed his hands on Blaine’s ass and began to grope him while pushing their bodies closer together to get more friction. _**< <**Oh dear god, do I want that! Please tell me we can do that tonight? Please? **> >**_ Kurt let out a quiet moan, tossing his head back and exposing his neck as Blaine kissed his way up Kurt’s jawline to the spot just behind his ear that drove Kurt wild; then he kissed all along Kurt’s neck, occasionally stopping to suck and bite little bruises into his skin.

 _ **< <**Absolutely! **> >**_ Blaine answered. _**< <**I have to get you back for all those naughty telepathic sexts you sent me last night; _and _this morning. But right now, I just need you to make me cum. **> >**_

 ** _< <_** _If you didn’t want me to send them, you would’ve ordered me to stop, **> >**_ he said, thrusting up into Blaine even harder. Kurt snaked a hand down the back of Blaine’s pants, then dragged a finger across Blaine’s hole before lightly pushing it inside of him.

Blaine’s breathing and hips stuttered as he tipped over the edge, releasing his orgasm. After Kurt retracted his hand, Blaine rolled to the side then began to palm over Kurt’s erection, wanting to make him cum. “Come on, baby. Cum for me,” Blaine whispered into Kurt’s ear, before gently biting down on his lobe.

Kurt moaned loudly as he climaxed. After a few seconds, he looked over at Blaine, giving him a half-smile/half-grimace. “As good as that felt, we probably should have removed our pants first. I feel all gross and sticky now.”

“Sorry, sweetie; but I’m not sure I could have waited that long. I mean, sometimes getting you out of your pants can be a real challenge,” Blaine replied, teasingly. “I’m not even sure how you can get _in_ to pants that tight. _And don’t say magic_. Because photos and testimonies from friends will say that you’ve been wearing form-fitting skinny jeans for _years_ ; long before your magic was available to you.”

Kurt laughed then kissed Blaine softly. “I’d tell you, but it’s a secret,” he whispered, winking. His expression sobered, then he looked at Blaine with wide eyes. “Oh, crap! We can’t change our clothes before going back downstairs or it will be obvious what we were doing.”

“I honestly don’t think Carole, or your dad, will mind,” Blaine replied. “I think they both expect it actually.”

“But Finn will say something,” Kurt argued.

“Honey, Finn saw me for 0.2 seconds. I don’t think he took note of what I was wearing,” he countered.

“Maybe not; but he definitely knows what I am wearing because I was bugging him all morning about my outfit,” Kurt told him. “Oh, wait; hang on. Magic. Duh.” He placed a hand over his crotch and closed his eyes, while muttering something Blaine couldn’t identify. When he opened his eyes, he smiled, then removed his hand. “There. All better. Would you like me to clean you up too?”

“Please,” Blaine answered, nodding.

Once they were both cleaned up, Kurt sighed and reluctantly admitted that they should probably go back downstairs now. Blaine nodded in agreement then looked over at the end of the bed where the air mattress still sat deflated and folded up. “We need to set that up first before we go though,” he told Kurt.

Kurt pointed at the air mattress and blanket then used his magic to place it on the floor and inflate it. He frowned when he noticed Carole didn’t bring in any sheets for it, just a blanket and pillow. “No sheets? How are we supposed to be convincing anyone that this was actually used if there are no bedsheets?” Taking an extra set of sheets out of his closet, Kurt then used his magic again to make the bed with all the proper bedding. “There. Done. Let’s go before they get suspicious and send Finn to check on us.”

\---

“Dude, there you are! What took so long?” Finn asked, as the boys walked back into the living room.

“Sorry, Finn,” Blaine began. “It took a little longer than it should have to set up the air mattress because Kurt _insisted_ on finding fitted sheets for it before he’d allow the blankets and pillows to go on it.”

“Well, excuse me!” Kurt retorted. “I don’t know who the last person to use that thing was; nor do I know what they were doing on it. It needed to be covered. Besides, you’re not an _animal_ , Blaine. Laying on an uncovered mattress? No. If you aren’t going to sleep in an _actual_ bed, you should at least sleep on a properly made-up mattress like a _civilized_ human being.”

Blaine smirked as he tried not to laugh. “Yes, dear.” He turned back to Finn, rolled his eyes, then made a slight motion toward Kurt with his head, as if to say, _‘see what I mean?’_.

Finn nodded in understanding then turned back to the TV while grabbing a gingerbread cookie off the plate in front of him.

“Are there any cookies left to decorate?” Kurt asked, not directed at anyone in particular. He then glanced at his step-brother and added, “Or have they all been eaten?”

“The last batch is in the oven now,” Carole told him. “The rest of them have already been iced.”

Kurt pulled on Blaine’s hand to lead him into the kitchen. “Come on. It’s time for you to get acquainted with your first Hummel Family Christmas Tradition. Baking gingerbread cookies!”

\---

After all the cookies were decorated – and half of them stored away for tomorrow – Kurt and Blaine joined the Hudson-Hummel family in the living room for lunch in front of the TV where a Christmas movie was playing. “What time are grandma and grandpa arriving tomorrow?” Kurt asked his father during a commercial break.

“Depending on traffic,” Burt began, “they should be here sometime between 9:30 and 10:00.”

“In the morning?!” he replied, alarmed. “But Akron is almost 3 hours away from here! They’d have to leave their house before 7:00am to get here by that time; especially with holiday traffic. I thought they wouldn’t be here until after lunch; like, 2 o’clock or something? Why so early?”

“Why not?” Burt challenged. “Last time we had any _quality_ time with them was when they visited for your birthday. I know they were here for mine and Carole’s wedding last month, but we were so busy we barely got to spend five minutes with them. It will be nice being able to spend an entire day with them.”

“Nice? You think it’s nice that every time my sexuality gets brought up, grandpa changes the subject while grandma takes out her _rosary_ to pray for me?” Kurt snarked. “And it’s not like I’m going to be able to avoid bringing up that I’m gay when I introduce them to my _boyfriend_ , am I? No, I’m going to endure an entire day of silent, judgmental glares, and snarky, ignorant comments muttered under their breath.” He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “At least dinner tonight – with just the five of us – will be peaceful.”

“Uh…yeah, about that…” Finn said, hesitantly. “I sort of invited Rachel.”

“What?” Kurt asked in disbelief.

“Well, you invited your boyfriend,” he replied. “So, I figured I could invite my girlfriend.”

Kurt groaned in annoyance then grumbled under his breath, “Of course. Because inviting the _Jewish_ girl to a _Christmas_ Eve dinner makes perfect sense.”

“Oh, come on, Kurt!” Finn said, aggravated. “That’s not fair, and you know it! Mom told me that Blaine’s family doesn’t celebrate Christmas either, but you still invited him. So why does it matter that Rachel’s Jewish? Besides, she apologized to you for thinking you might sell out the New Directions to the Warblers; and for the party mix up. Can’t you just forgive her and move on? Come on, dude, it’s _Christmas_.”

“ _Mix up_ ,” Kurt snorted, shaking his head. He closed his eyes and took a few slow, deep breaths. When he opened his eyes again, he looked over at his brother. “We both know that her ‘apology’ was hollow; and that she only apologized to me because she was called out. But, _fine_. It is Christmas Eve, so I will _try_ to be polite to her while she’s here. But I make no promises.”

\---

Finn arrived back home from picking up Rachel, while Kurt and Blaine were setting the dinner table. “Hey, uh, Blaine?” Finn began, hesitantly. “I think someone stole your car. It’s not out front.”

“Oh, I didn’t drive here,” Blaine told him. “My friend, David, dropped me off.”

Burt entered the dining room with a few serving dishes to place on the table. “Your car’s not giving you any more trouble is it? Is the new alternator not working right?”

“No, my car hasn’t given me any problems recently; it’s running very smoothly now, thanks to Kurt,” he replied. Blaine looked back over at Finn and continued, “It just seemed kind of silly for me to drive myself up here, since I won’t be heading back to Westerville until Kurt does; it just made sense to catch a ride here with David then get a ride back from Kurt later. Plus, my brother is visiting from California. Leaving my car at home means he can use it if neither one of my parents’ cars are available.”

Rachel narrowed her eyes at Blaine suspiciously. “You made your _friend_ drive you up here so your _brother_ could have access to your car?”

“No,” Blaine said, smiling slightly while shaking his head. “I didn’t _make_ David do anything. He volunteered to drop me off since he was already planning on driving past here on his way to where he was headed. And because I don’t need a car while I’m here, and I can catch a ride home with Kurt, it just sort of worked out for everyone.”

The rest of the food was brought into the dining room, and everyone took their seats at the table to eat. During the strained silence at dinner, Carole tried to get a conversation going to breathe some life into the atmosphere. “So, Kurt, Blaine, what did you boys do this weekend? Anything fun?”

“Oh, uh, we went camping with my brother, Cooper,” Blaine replied.

“You got _Kurt_ to go _camping_?!” Rachel replied, shocked.

“Yeah, dude. How did that happen?” Finn added, confused. “He hates the outdoors.”

Blaine chuckled and nodded. “I’m pretty sure he only agreed to go because we weren’t doing _traditional_ camping with tents and sleeping bags. We stayed in a cabin. A cabin with beds, electricity, and running water. Also there is a cell tower near the edge of the campgrounds, so we had phone and internet access too. We just call it ‘camping’ because the cabin is in the middle of the woods, surrounded by nature.”

“Well, that’s good that you weren’t sleeping outside; especially with the snow we got Saturday night,” Carole said. “I didn’t even realize there were any campgrounds around here that are still open this time of year.”

“It’s a private campsite; my family owns it. It’s not open to the public,” Blaine explained. “My family usually uses it as a vacation spot; for when we want to get away but can’t really go anywhere because my parents need to stay close to the city for work. It’s actually a lot of fun. Especially in the summer, when it’s warm enough to go swimming in the pond. But there’s lots of fun stuff to do there – even in the winter. It was one of our favorite places to spend time together when we were little, so we thought it’d be fun to hang out there for a little while while he was in town.”

“Oh, I see,” Carole said, intrigued. “Well, I’m glad there were a lot of things for you to do to keep yourselves entertained, despite the weather. So, was it just the two of you and your brother? Or did your parents join you?”

“No; my parents couldn’t make it. But we weren’t alone. Kurt and I invited some friends from school, and Cooper’s girlfriend joined us too,” he told her. “It was like a big slumber party.”

Rachel narrowed her eyes, suspiciously, at Blaine. “Your parents let you and your brother go camping – _unsupervised_ – with your significant others? They let a group of _kids_ go out into the woods _alone_ without any adult supervision? For an entire weekend? That doesn’t sound very responsible of them. Why would they agree to that?”

“My brother will be 27 in March; and his girlfriend just turned 28 two weeks ago,” Blaine replied. “They were our chaperones. And my parents trust us because we’ve never given them a reason not to. Besides, we never even left Westerville, so if we needed them for anything they could be there in a matter of minutes – or vice versa.”

“I knew your brother was a few years older than you,” Carole began, “but I didn’t realize he was that much older. That’s quite a large age gap between the two of you, isn’t it?”

“Ten years,” he agreed, nodding. “I was an unexpected addition to the family. But a very welcome one.” Blaine paused, debating if he should continue, before deciding to go on. “My mom had experienced some complications during Cooper’s birth. After he was born, she was told that she wouldn’t be able to have any more children. And even though they knew it shouldn’t be possible, my parents never stopped trying to have another kid. So, when they found out my mom was pregnant with me, my parents were both shocked and overjoyed. There was a small scare when my mom went into labor three weeks early; but it all worked out in the end. It was as if Fate smiled down on my parents and decided to bless them with another child.”

Kurt did a double-take at Blaine upon hearing the end of his explanation. _**< <**Oh my god! Do you know what this means? **> >**_

 ** _< <_** _What? **> >**_ Blaine replied, trying not to physically react to Kurt’s silent comments, while also trying to pay attention and contribute to the conversation still going on around them.

 _ **< <**You actually were _literally _made for me, **> >**_ he told Blaine.

 _ **< <**I know, Kurt, **> >**_ Blaine responded, slightly confused. _**< <**I was the one that told you that, remember? **> >**_

_**< <**No, I mean, I’m almost exactly nine months older than you, **> >** _he started. _**< <**If you were born three weeks early, that means you were conceived when I was born – possibly even the same day. Fate took one look at me and knew I would need someone extra special to be my soulmate to deal with my unique genetic makeup. And when they couldn’t find anyone that fit the bill, they found two werewolves that possessed qualities they were looking for – your parents – and assisted them in creating my perfect soulmate – you. Fate literally intervened and had you created specifically for me while simultaneously blessing your parents with the second child that they always wanted. **> >**_

Blaine bit his bottom lip to keep from smiling too widely. _**< <**And I am honored to have been chosen as worthy of you. **> >**_

Rachel’s voice cut through their happy bubble as she narrowed her eyes, suspiciously, at them. “What are you two smiling about over there?”

“Didn’t realize it was a crime to be happy,” Kurt snarked. “Eat your tofurkey and mind your own business.”

“Kurt,” Burt warned, giving him a pointed look.

Kurt huffed then reluctantly apologized. “Sorry. What I meant to say, is that I don’t have a particular reason for smiling. Smiling is just something that naturally occurs when I’m happy.”

Blaine nudged Kurt with his shoulder and winked at him while smirking. The two boys then burst out laughing, breaking the tension that was building between Kurt and Rachel. As their laughs petered out, Kurt smiled brightly at Blaine. “Thank you,” he whispered, shyly.

“Uh…” Finn muttered, confused. “What just happened?”

“Nothing, Finn,” Kurt replied, shaking his head, soft smile still on his face.

\---

“So, Blaine,” Rachel began, as Kurt and Finn were clearing away the dishes after dessert. “Finn tells me that you’re spending the night here? Celebrating Christmas with Kurt’s family tomorrow? What about your own family? Don’t you want to celebrate with them? Didn’t you just say earlier that your brother was visiting from out of state? Seems odd that you’d ditch them on such a special holiday to impose yourself onto the family of a boy you’ve only known for a _month_.”

Blaine could hear Kurt growling under his breath at Rachel’s comments from the kitchen and hurried to soothe him. _**< <**Calm down, sweetie; it’s okay. Let me handle this. **> >**_ He gave Rachel a reassuring smile. “Just like you’re here today because your family doesn’t celebrate Christmas, I’m here because my family doesn’t celebrate Christmas either,” he told her. “And, yes, my brother is visiting from California; but he’s been in town for a few days already and is staying until after the New Year. I’ve spent a lot of time with him over the past couple of days, and I will get many more opportunities to do so again before he leaves. Also, Kurt asked me to be here. He wanted me to experience what a Hummel Family Holiday was like; and get to know him and his family better in the process. Burt and Carole both agreed and supported that invitation, so I hardly consider it an imposition.”

“I didn’t realize you were Jewish,” Rachel replied, skeptically.

“I’m not,” he said.

“If you’re not Jewish, then why don’t you celebrate Christmas?” she asked.

“I hate to break this to you, but Christianity and Judaism are not the only two religions in the world – or Ohio,” Blaine told her.

Kurt couldn’t take it anymore and walked back into the dining room. “Blaine, can you give me hand in the kitchen please?”

“Of course. Whatever you need,” he replied, smiling. Turning back to Rachel he added, “If you’ll excuse me.” Then he followed Kurt out of the room.

\---

Later that night, after Finn returned from driving Rachel home for the evening, everyone was seated in the living room – Kurt and Blaine on the floor in front of the couch, Finn in the armchair, and Burt and Carole cuddling at the opposite end of the couch – drinking hot chocolate, popping Christmas Crackers, and listening to Christmas Carols.

“I don’t get why Rachel couldn’t be here for this,” Finn grumbled at his mother.

“Sweetheart, it’s getting late, and we have guests arriving early tomorrow,” Carole answered. “Right now it’s family time.”

“Then what’s he doing here,” Finn said, pointing at Blaine. “He’s not family. But he’s allowed to be included in family time, and Rachel’s not? Me and Rachel have been together a lot longer than him and Kurt have; she’s more family than he is.” Without allowing anyone to respond to those statements, he then looked right at Kurt and Blaine and continued, “And the way you guys were treating Rachel tonight wasn’t cool. She didn’t even do anything wrong tonight and both of you were rude to her for no reason.”

“How were we rude to her?” Kurt asked. “I made _one_ snarky comment – which I apologized for – when she tried to _shame_ me for being happy. So how does that equate _us_ being rude to _her_?”

“Oh, gee, I don’t know, Kurt,” he replied, sarcastically. “It could have been all the dirty looks you were giving her all night? Or the cold shoulder attitude? Or when your _boyfriend_ made her feel stupid for wondering why his parents were okay with you going camping alone? Or maybe it was when he got all angry and defensive when she asked why he didn’t want to celebrate Christmas with his family?”

“Finn,” Blaine began, tentatively, “First of all, I never meant to make Rachel feel stupid. I did feel slightly defensive when she accused my parents of being irresponsible, but I didn’t purposefully try to patronize her with my response. Secondly, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. Because I wasn’t angry or defensive when I explained why I wasn’t in Westerville tonight.”

“That’s not what Rachel told me when I drove her home,” he muttered.

“Exactly why I said, ‘I think there has been a misunderstanding’,” Blaine replied, slowly. “Maybe she interpreted it that way – and if so, I apologize – but I was neither of those things.”

“Then why didn’t you want to tell her the truth? Huh?” he asked. “What are you hiding?”

“I’m not hiding anything,” Blaine answered, confused. “I _did_ tell Rachel the truth. My family doesn’t celebrate Christmas. It’s not my fault she assumed that meant I had to be Jewish – which I’m not. I just don’t understand how she thinks I was being purposefully elusive when I answered the question as asked.”

“Except you didn’t; because you never answered _why_ you don’t celebrate Christmas. And that’s what she wanted to know. So, what’s the answer?” Finn challenged.

“I _did_ answer her. It may not have been as detailed of an answer as she wanted, but it was an honest one,” Blaine told him. “And maybe if her wording had not been so insolent and disrespectful, I would have been more inclined to elaborate for her. But if you must know, my family doesn’t celebrate Christmas because Christmas is a _Christian_ holy day; and we’re not Christians.”

“Then what are you?” he asked.

“Finn!” Kurt chastised. “That’s rude! You can’t just demand a person to divulge their faith – or lack thereof – to you.”

Blaine sighed then looked at Kurt. “It’s fine, Kurt. I don’t mind answering that,” Blaine told him, softly, while smiling at him and gently rubbing his arm in thanks. Looking back at Finn, he replied to the question being asked. “I’m Agnostic.”

“What does that mean?” Finn wondered. “Is that a religion?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “Just the opposite, actually.”

“Wait…” Finn said, cutting Blaine off before he could continue. “I thought non-religious people were called Atheist? Not that…whatever you just said.”

Blaine shook his head again. “They can be, but it’s not the only option. Atheists don’t believe in the existence of _any_ gods or higher powers at all; while Agnostics acknowledge that there is a _possibility_ that a higher power exists. We just don’t know who and/or what that higher power is, how many there are, or what the scope of their knowledge or power really is; and therefore we do not align ourselves with any specific religious faiths or beliefs.” Silently, to Kurt, he added, _**< <**And as a werewolf, I personally believe that at least one – possibly three – of those higher powers is Fate. Werewolves may not _worship _Fate, but we do recognize their role in our lives and thank them for connecting us to our soulmates…among other things. **> >**_

 ** _< <_** _Possibly three? What do you mean by that? **> >**_ Kurt asked.

 _ **< <**The Fates are often depicted as three sisters. Each one controls a different aspect life: birth, length, death; but they work together to control Destiny. However, the mythology of The Fates changes depending on which culture you look at. In some cultures, the roles of all three sisters belong to the same goddess – with one name and one body. That’s why I say at least one, but possibly three. Because I have no way of knowing which myth is accurate; but yet I still believe that Fate is a guiding force of great power, **> >**_ he explained.

Kurt nodded subtly to acknowledge that he understood then looked back at his brother. “See, Finn? When you only pay attention to Rachel’s point of view, of course we’re gonna come out looking like the bad guys here. We were just reacting to her tone and demeanor. But Blaine was still extremely polite to her earlier; despite her accusatory and judgmental attitude toward him. In fact, he was way more polite than he should have been, in my opinion. When we were at the dinner table, did you think he was being rude to her when he answered her questions? Or did you come to that conclusion on the drive to Rachel’s when she _told_ you his behavior was rude?”

Finn squirmed in chair, looking uncomfortable. “It didn’t sound bad to me when he answered her,” he mumbled. “But Rachel said it made her feel bad, so it made me think I missed something, you know?”

“Yeah, I know how manipulative she is,” Kurt answered, quietly.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Burt said. “I let you boys explain yourselves, but I’m putting an end to this discussion now.”

“Fine by me,” Kurt agreed. He yawned widely then rested his head on Blaine’s shoulder.

“You tired, baby?” Blaine asked, softly.

Kurt made a small hum of agreement while nodding his head. “A little. I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

“Do you want to go to bed?” Blaine checked. “You do have an early day tomorrow.”

“ _We_ have an early day tomorrow,” Kurt corrected. “And no. I don’t want to go bed yet. It’s too early for that.” He shifted his position so that he was laying on his side with his head in Blaine’s lap.

“Okay,” he replied, while carding his fingers through Kurt’s hair.

Finn stared at them for a moment with his mouth hanging open in shock. “Dude,” he said, softly. “How are you doing that?”

Blaine looked up, from where he’d been staring at Kurt with a soft smile and gave Finn a quizzical glance. “What?”

“He doesn’t let anyone touch his hair. _Ever_ ,” Finn said. “How are you able to do that without him threatening to rip your arm off?”

Blaine smiled while shrugging. “I don’t know. Lucky, I guess.”

“He gets away with it because I _let_ him get away with it,” Kurt replied to Finn. “And because I know that he respects me enough to stop if I tell him to; whereas most other people don’t always listen to me.” He then smirked and quietly added, “Besides, I like his arms too much to rip them off. They’re surprisingly buff, and very nice to look at.”

“Thank you?” Blaine giggled. “Guess all that time spent boxing paid off.”

“Boxing?” Finn asked. “Like _fight_ -boxing? That kind of boxing?”

“Is there another kind of boxing?” he wondered, confused.

“I don’t know,” Finn answered, shrugging. “You could build boxes? Or something? How am I supposed to know? I mean, dude, look at you. You don’t look like a fighter – like a _boxer_.”

“I’ll try not to take that as an insult,” Blaine replied. “But yes, I meant boxing as in fighting. I took it up a few years ago. After an incident in middle school. It was a good – _safe_ – way to get out all my anger and aggression.”

“Anger at what?” Burt asked, intrigued.

“The kids at school that were bullying me; and the faculty that refused to do anything about it,” he answered. Blaine paused, glancing down at Kurt, silently wondering if he should continue. Kurt had heard the story before, so he nodded, letting Blaine know it was safe to explain. Blaine took a deep breath and continued. “When I was in eighth grade, I was paired with this boy for a class project. We were at my house. I left him alone in my room a few minutes to talk to my mom about something; and for some reason, he decided to look through all my stuff – desk drawers, nightstand, closet. Anyway, because of this, he found some things and was able to figure out that I was gay. Up ‘til then, only my parents and brother knew the truth. But this boy took it upon himself to tell the entire school. I had a few close friends that remained my friends, but everyone else turned on me.

“Then one day, about a month or so later, that same boy cornered me after school.” Blaine clenched his jaw and took another deep breath. “He starts running his mouth at me, then out of nowhere he grabs me by the front of my shirt and punches me in the face as hard as he possibly can. Unfortunately for him, no one ever taught him how to throw a punch properly and he broke his hand on my face.

“The next day my parents go up to the school to talk to the principal about what happened, but that kid’s folks beat them there. He told them I had purposefully broken his hand in retaliation for him rejecting my unwanted sexual advances on him. I was going to be expelled until my dad forced the principal to check the footage from the school’s security cameras.

“Even after the cameras proved I was innocent, that kid managed to convince everyone that what they saw was him retaliating after I had approached him off camera earlier that afternoon. We were _both_ given two days of afterschool detention – to be served separately. But from then on out, I was considered a sexual predator by my entire school – including the faculty. And because of that, they _‘conveniently’_ never saw when I was getting harassed by my classmates. It made me angry. But I knew if I tried to defend myself – even verbally – I’d be the one getting in trouble; they’d made that very clear to me. So I took up boxing as a way to release that anger in a safe and healthy way,” he explained. “It’s also the reason my parents enrolled me in Dalton, rather than sending me to the local public highschool.”

“That’s awful!” Carole exclaimed.

“You were gonna be expelled, but that kid only got 2 days detention?” Burt asked. “How does that sound fair?”

“It doesn’t,” Blaine answered. “Their line of thinking was: that it was okay to expel me because they were viewing what I supposedly did – aka what he _told_ them happened – as an unprovoked attack. And when it was proven that I never attacked him at all, the expulsion was dropped. But he was only given detention for his attack against me because it was not being viewed as unprovoked – because he convinced everyone that it was _self-defense_. I was given the detention because even though the security footage proved that I never touched him, I _wasn’t_ able to prove that I didn’t hit on him earlier like he said I did, thus providing him with a reason for retaliation.”

“But they were gonna expel you without proof that you broke his hand,” Finn said, confused. “I don’t get it.”

Blaine gave Finn a weary half-grin. “Because I’m gay, Finn. And as far as most of Ohio is concerned, people like me shouldn’t exist; so they’ll take any opportunity to get me out of their schools and away from their kids.”

“It’s not right,” Finn grumbled.

“No,” Kurt interjected, “it’s not. But it’s what we have to deal with every day. I mean, look at all the stuff that happened to me at McKinley. Did anyone ever get in trouble for anything they did to me? No; never. I lost count of how many times I was tossed into a dumpster, slushied, or shoved into a locker while a teacher looked on and said _nothing_.”

“But that’s different,” Finn argued.

“No, it’s not,” Blaine said, adamantly, cutting Finn off. “ _Any_ kind of harassment is wrong. And when bullies can get away those so-called ‘little’ things like pushing and shoving – leaving a person _covered_ in bruises – or causing hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage to their clothing and other personal property with slushie stains, then that just makes them want to press their luck – escalate their attacks – and see what else they can get away with. We wouldn’t be getting punched in the face, or receiving death threats, if the schools didn’t tolerate all that other stuff in the first place.”

“Can we change the subject please?” Kurt asked. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“I agree,” Blaine replied. “So, why don’t you,” he emphasized the word ‘you’ by booping Kurt on the nose, “tell me more about what I should expect to happen tomorrow?”

Kurt scrunched his face up, wiggling his nose around, before giving Blaine a bright smile. “ _Well_ ,” he began excitedly, “first, we’ll wake up at like 6:00 or 7:00. We’ll come downstairs in our PJs and open our stockings. Then we eat a _huge_ breakfast. After breakfast, we’ll go get dressed for the day. Next, we’ll watch some Christmas movies. After that, we’ll open our presents. Then Dad and Finn will turn on sports while I go hang out in the kitchen listening to Christmas music while helping to get dinner ready. Once dinner is ready, we’ll eat and talk and be merry. Then it’s coffee and dessert in front of the TV with more Christmas movies and music.”

“And your grandparents will be arriving after breakfast?” Blaine checked.

“Yeah, I guess,” he replied. Kurt yawned again. “I just hope that they will behave themselves, you know? I really want to have a _nice_ holiday.”

“I know, baby,” Blaine told him. “But despite my nervousness about…everything, I’m actually looking forward to meeting them.”

“You’ll be fine, kid,” Burt interjected, hoping to soothe Blaine’s nerves.

Noticing Kurt’s drooping eyes, and his slow, steady breaths Blaine smiled down at his mate while continuing to card his fingers through Kurt’s hair. “Are you falling asleep on me, sweetheart?” he asked, voice filled with amusement.

“Mm-mm,” Kurt hummed, negatively, shaking his head slightly.

“That doesn’t sound too convincing,” Blaine said. “Maybe it’s time for bed?”

“Don’t wanna move,” Kurt told him.

“Well then, I guess I’m gonna have to carry you,” Blaine replied. “Because you are not going be happy tomorrow morning if you fall asleep on this floor in those jeans.”

“But I don’t want to go to sleep just yet,” he pouted. _**< <**You promised you’d fuck me tonight. **> >**_

 ** _< <_** _I know baby; but you’re literally falling asleep on me right now, **> > **_Blaine told him.

 _ **< <**If I agree to let you carry me to bed now, will you make love to me until I fall asleep? **> > **_Kurt wondered.

 _ **< <**If that’s what you really want, **> >** _Blaine agreed. “Come on, sleepyhead. I think it’s bedtime for you.” He slid his hands under Kurt’s legs and back and lifted him up in a bridal carry as he got up onto his feet.

“You need some help with him?” Finn asked, watching Blaine, eyes wide with shock at how effortlessly he lifted Kurt off the ground from a sitting position.

“No, I’m good,” he replied. “He actually doesn’t weigh a lot.” Glancing around the room, he added, “Goodnight, everyone. We’ll see you in the morning.”

“G’night,” Kurt repeated, sleepily, waving at his family.

\---

Closing the door to Kurt’s bedroom with his foot, Blaine looked down in his arms and told Kurt, “Other than a sound barrier, I don’t want you using any magic tonight; okay? If you want me to make love to you, it’s just going to be me and you – doing things the old-fashioned way.”

“Mmm…sounds good to me,” Kurt hummed, happily. While constructing a sound barrier, he added, “I like your old-fashioned style – what, with your tamed curls, your dapper clothing, your sophisticated manners, and your vintage vocabulary; it’s hot. You’re hot.” Once the sound barrier was in place, he asked Blaine to take him to bed.

“You are so cute when you’re sleepy,” Blaine said, gently laying Kurt down on the bed.

“Cute in a ‘I want to cuddle you’ way? Or cute in a ‘I want to fuck you’ way,” he asked. “Because I’m really hoping it’s the latter.”

“Both,” Blaine replied, before giving him a sweet kiss then lifting Kurt just enough to remove his shirt. Blaine took his time removing the remainder of both his and Kurt’s clothing, gently kissing and caressing every inch of Kurt’s skin as it was revealed. “So damn gorgeous.”

“I was just thinking the same thing about you,” Kurt told him. “But as much as I love the way you are touching me right now, I would rather you do so while your dick was inside of me. Please, baby, I…I need you so badly; not including that too-brief moment of fully-clothed rutting earlier, we haven’t had sex in over 24 hours. I feel like I might explode if you make me wait any longer.”

“I promise you won’t explode; I won’t allow that to happen,” Blaine replied. “Where’s your lube?” He hurriedly grabbed the bottle out of the nightstand that Kurt motioned toward then began to prep Kurt while giving him slow, deep, passion-filled kisses.

“Blaine, please; I’m ready,” he pleaded.

Blaine nodded, poured more lube into his hand, and lubed up his own erection. He moaned as he slowly pushed his way inside of Kurt. “Oh, I have missed this. You feel incredible. Nothing compares.”

“This is exactly what I’ve been craving all day,” Kurt moaned, blissed out smile on his face.

Gently brushing a stray piece of hair out of Kurt’s eyes, Blaine replied, “I said it before and I’ll say it again: I will _always_ do my best to give you whatever it is you need; especially if what you need is me.” He continued with his slow, careful thrusts for several long minutes, while placing soft kisses over whatever parts of Kurt he could reach and whispering words of love and admiration, until Kurt’s breathing had evened out and his eyelids remained closed.

When Blaine verified that Kurt had fallen asleep, he gently began to pull out, but as soon as he tried, Kurt started whimpering then tightened his legs that were still wrapped around Blaine’s waist. “Okay, okay, I won’t go anywhere,” he whispered, reassuringly. Cautiously looking around the room, Blaine let out a small sigh. He had forgotten to turn down the covers on Kurt’s bed before laying Kurt out on the mattress, so he and Kurt were currently lying on top of all of Kurt’s blankets; and all the extra blankets were well out of his reach on the air mattress that was laid out on the floor at the foot of the bed. Taking a deep breath, he quietly muttered, “Hang on tight, my love.” Accessing Kurt’s magic, Blaine levitated them both off the bed, then waved a hand over the blankets below him pushing them down to the foot of the bed. He gently flipped his and Kurt’s positions, so that Kurt was now on top of him, before settling himself and Kurt back down on the bed – making sure not to trap Kurt’s legs underneath him – while motioning the blankets to cover them. Once they were under the covers, Blaine wrapped his arms tightly around his mate, kissed him gently, and wished him a good night.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the hyperlink in the fic is an edited photo of what the described item looks like.

Kurt smirked as Blaine finally stirred awake. “I was wondering how long it would take you to wake up,” he said, while continuing to bounce up and down on Blaine’s hard cock.

“Mmm, baby, you feel incredible!” Blaine moaned. “I love waking up to you riding me like this…or blowing me…or touching me…or kissing me…”

Kurt giggled, cutting Blaine off from continuing, “I know. You love whenever I do anything even remotely sexual.” He tossed his head back and moaned loudly when Blaine thrusted up into him. “Oh… So good. You were already hard and inside of me when I woke up; and I was already on top of you, so I thought… Oh, fuck, Blaine!”

“Yes, fuck Blaine. Those are very good thoughts,” he agreed. “You should always want to fuck Blaine.” Taking hold of Kurt’s hips, he thrusted up into Kurt again. “Is this room still soundproofed?”

“Yeah; the barrier’s still in place,” Kurt confirmed.

“Well in that case…” Blaine flipped them over so that Kurt was now on his back. He pinned Kurt’s wrists above his head, holding them down with just one hand, then began to roughly thrust into Kurt at a vigorous pace. “I want to hear you scream,” he whispered, seductively, into Kurt’s ear before gently sucking his earlobe into his mouth and using his free hand to pinch and twist Kurt’s nipples.

“Oh dear god yes!” Kurt yelled out.

“Been wanting to do this for so long. Hold you down and fuck you hard. Ever since you telepathically sent me those pornographic sexts of you fucking yourself on a dildo in front of a mirror,” Blaine told him in between kisses. “You had me so hard that I was jerking off in front of Wes and David _all. Night. Long_ ; moaning your name out loud. I started humping my bed and fingering myself for relief while the boys were trying to sleep. And when that wasn’t enough, I even did something that I haven’t done since we met; I shifted into my wolf, so I could lick myself – give myself a blowjob. I was _so_ tempted to run over here and sneak in your bedroom window, so I could show you exactly what I thought about your messages.”

“You should have. I missed you,” Kurt replied, breathlessly. “Oh, Blaine; I’m so close.”

“No; don’t cum,” he Alpha-commanded. “I told you yesterday what was going to happen because of those naughty images you sent me, didn’t I? I said I was going to fuck you hard and fast, until _I_ came. Then I would _slowly_ make you fall apart. And you agreed. You were too tired for me to follow through last night but today’s a different story. So, you don’t get to cum until I tell you that you can cum.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Kurt moaned.

Two more rough thrusts into Kurt and Blaine finally tipped over the edge. He remained still for a moment, enjoying the high of his orgasm. Smiling sweetly down at Kurt, Blaine ran the tip of his nose down the bridge of Kurt’s until he reached the tip, gave him bunny kisses, then kissed him softly on the lips. “I love you.”

Kurt whimpered from the lack of friction on his still hard cock. “I love you too. Now please touch me. Please.”

“Not yet. That pretty little cock of yours is gonna have to wait. I have other plans,” he replied, mischievously. Blaine carefully pulled out of Kurt, then propped Kurt’s legs up on his shoulders, so that he could kiss and nibble on Kurt’s inner thighs. He kissed his way closer to Kurt’s crotch, slowly shifting the muscles in the interior of his mouth to resemble his wolf; then he suddenly leaned in closer and began to rim Kurt, using his wolf’s tongue to lick his own cum out of Kurt’s ass.

“Oh my god!” Kurt cried out. “Fuck, baby, I love it when you do that!”

Pulling back slightly, he grinned at Kurt, then ran his elongated tongue in a circle around his mouth cleaning his nose, chin, lips, and cheeks free of bodily fluids. “Good. Because I _really_ enjoy doing it.” Blaine then resumed rimming Kurt while occasionally teasing his cock by stroking it in a very loose grip.

After several minutes of rimming Kurt and running his tongue over Kurt’s prostate, Blaine’s cock had recovered from his orgasm and was fully hard once again. He pulled his face away from Kurt’s ass, shifting his facial muscles back to human form, lowered Kurt’s legs down onto the bed, then straddled his waist. Blaine started slowly rutting his hard cock against Kurt’s, playfully teasing him about what he wanted to do next. “Hmm…shall I fuck you again? Nice and slow this time? Or maybe I should ride you? Or I could just fuck that pretty little mouth of yours? Decisions, decisions…”

“I will do whatever you want,” Kurt pleaded. “Please, Blaine, please. I want to cum. Please.”

Blaine hummed in consideration then kissed Kurt passionately. When the kiss broke, he gave him another quick, soft kiss then told him, “You will, sweetie; just not right now.” He took his time using his mouth to place soft, gentle kisses all over Kurt’s body, caressing his skin, and doing everything he could think of to arouse Kurt and give him stimulation without actually touching his cock. Finally, after almost 20 minutes of teasing – when Blaine couldn’t ignore the throbbing ache of his own cock anymore – he repositioned himself between Kurt’s legs again, pressed the tip of his cock against Kurt’s hole, and slowly pushed his way inside before setting up a gentle rhythm, alternating between thrusting and rotating his hips.

“Oh, fuck, that feels so good!” Kurt moaned, loudly. “I changed my mind. I don’t want to cum. I want you to keep doing that. Forever. Don’t stop. Please don’t ever stop.”

“I love it when you beg,” he replied, playfully, giving Kurt a sweet kiss.

“That’s why I do it,” Kurt told him. He then arched his back and tossed his back in pleasure, moaning loudly. “And because I love the way you make me feel. Best. Feeling. Ever. Oh! Right there! Yes!”

Blaine hoisted Kurt’s legs up onto his shoulders again and had him practically bent in half as he sped up his pace. “Fuck, baby, I am so close. I’m going to need you to cum.”

“I…oh god…I can’t yet…I…damn that feels good…I will once you…fuck, _Blaine_ …once you release me from your prior command,” he stammered.

Blaine released Kurt from the command, wrapped his hand tightly around Kurt’s cock, then began to stroke vigorously. “Cum,” he Alpha-commanded, then bit down hard on Kurt’s shoulder.

Kurt came with a loud howl, causing Blaine to tip over the edge as well. Blaine cautiously licked over the bite mark on Kurt’s shoulder, then slowly pulled out, collapsing on the bed next to him. “Wow…anytime you want to wake me up with sex like that, please don’t hesitate,” he giggled.

“Well, like I said before, your hard dick was already inside me, so…” Kurt replied, cuddling into Blaine’s side.

“That’s because you fell asleep while we were making love last night; and you refused to let me pull out,” Blaine told him. “You would whine and whimper whenever I tried, then wrap your arms and legs tighter around my waist and push on my butt to make sure my cock didn’t slip out of your ass. I had to borrow your magic to get us under the covers and into a more comfortable position, so I could fall asleep.”

“Really? Oh…sorry about that,” he apologized.

“Don’t be,” Blaine said, waving off his apology. “I honestly didn’t mind.” He kissed Kurt sweetly, then sprung up quickly swearing under his breath. “Shit, Finn’s coming!” In an instant, Blaine had tossed on his sweatpants and a tank top and dove under the covers of the air mattress.

Kurt followed suit by changing into the pajama set he had laid out for Christmas breakfast. He had just barely gotten them on and was back under his blanket when his bedroom door flew open. “Wake up! It’s Christmas!” Finn called out.

Kurt sat up, looking startled. He waved his hand in a downward motion to lower the sound barrier but was hoping that it could be interpreted as him telling Finn to keep his voice down. “Jeez, Finn, don’t scare me like that! Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?”

“Sorry, dude,” he shrugged, apologetically. “But it’s Christmas, and breakfast is almost ready. Plus, Mom made her homemade apple cinnamon rolls. I’ve already had two; and if you guys take any longer, there might not be any left. So hurry up! I wanna open my stocking already so we can eat.”

Kurt gasped. “Oh, I _love_ Carole’s apple cinnamon rolls! Okay, okay, we’ll be down in a minute. Just give us a second to get ready?”

“You can shower and stuff after breakfast,” Finn told him, impatiently. “Just, _come on_ already.” He then left the room and headed back downstairs.

As soon as he was out of the room, Kurt tossed the blanket off of him, and did a quick clean up job using magic – just enough so that he was no longer covered in cum and sweat or smelling like sex. “Alright, let’s go. I want to make sure I get a couple of those apple cinnamon rolls before they’re all gone.”

“They’re that good, huh?” Blaine teased, getting up and following Kurt out of the bedroom.

“She adds a layer of minced apple pie filling to the cinnamon dough before rolling it into a bun,” Kurt told him, moaning in anticipation of getting to taste the sweet pastry. “Then once it’s baked, she ices it with a sweet cream cheese glaze while they’re still warm so the icing melts right into the roll. Ugh! It is _sooooooo_ good. We’re talking _orgasm_ levels of good here.”

“Sounds delicious,” he replied, flirtatiously, licking his lips and eyeing Kurt hungrily.

Kurt lightly smacked Blaine’s chest and giggled. “You already got to taste _me_ this morning; so put those dirty thoughts away until _after_ breakfast. Now is a time for food, not sex.” He then skipped off ahead down the stairs to the kitchen.

“Damn…” Blaine muttered, quietly, to himself. “Those rolls _must_ be good if you’d rather have them than sex.”

“I heard that!” Kurt called up to him in a sing-song voice.

\---

Shortly after breakfast, while the family was gathered in the living room after having showered and changed out of their pajamas, the doorbell rang. Kurt let out a quiet groan when Burt got up to answer it. “Well, here goes nothing,” he muttered under his breath to Blaine.

Blaine gently rubbed a hand over Kurt’s back in a soothing manner. “I’m sure it will be fine.”

As Margaret and Vincent Hummel walked into the room, Kurt hopped up off the floor and offered to take some of the bags and packages off of their hands. “Hi grandpa, grandma, let me you help you with that stuff.”

“Thank you, dear,” Margaret replied, handing him a large casserole dish with a few pie boxes on top of it. “If you could just put those pies in the fridge, that would be great.”

“Of course,” he agreed.

“Do you need a hand?” Blaine asked Kurt, walking up behind him.

“You can take this to the kitchen,” Vincent said, holding out a couple of canvas grocery bags filled with Tupperware containers and bags of various snack foods. “A few of those containers should be refrigerated. Please make sure to check the contents of each one so they get to the appropriate places. We don’t want any of the food going bad because of carelessness.”

Blaine smiled at him. “Absolutely. I’m Blaine, by the way.” He took the bags while offering a handshake. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Hummel.” Turning to look at Kurt’s grandmother – who still had her arms full of bags and packages – Blaine smiled politely, nodded his head in greeting, and added, “Mrs. Hummel.”

“Yes; Burt told us that Kurt was bringing a friend to dinner,” Vincent replied, hesitantly accepting the handshake. “Didn’t realize you’d already be here this early though.”

Kurt clenched his jaw and let out a soft huff but didn’t respond. He glanced at Blaine – who was silently telling him to keep calm – then motioned his head toward the kitchen, indicating that Blaine should follow him.

\---

Once in the kitchen, the two boys worked quickly to put all the food away in the appropriate places, and plate some of the snacks that Kurt’s grandparents brought. “A _friend_ ,” Kurt muttered, under his breath. “They’ve been here all of two seconds and the callous remarks have already started.”

“Kurt…” Blaine sighed, “it could have been an honest mistake. It’s possible they misheard, or misunderstood, what your dad told them on the phone. Don’t be so quick to judge. Like your dad said the other day, if you get angry and defensive over every comment or action that could _possibly_ be _interpreted_ as disrespectful, they’re going to write you off as an immature, overly sensitive brat. The only way they will learn is by talking with them in a _calm_ , courteous manner. Besides, we _are_ friends. We’re friends who _also_ happen to be in a serious, committed, romantic relationship; but still friends. So, I’m not offended by that comment.”

Kurt took a few deep breaths to regain his composure. “Okay, fine. I will remain calm and I won’t call them out for their flippant remark. Or their other comment about you being here so early. I will, however, go back out there and _politely_ give you a _proper_ introduction.”

Blaine chuckled and shook his head. “Didn’t your dad warn you against using passive-aggressive tactics like that?”

“What was that, sweetheart?” Kurt asked, in a faux-innocent voice. “I didn’t catch that.”

“I said: I love you?” Blaine replied.

“That’s what I thought you said,” he said, kissing the air in Blaine’s direction while winking. Kurt then picked up a bowl of popcorn off the counter and started to walk back into the living room. Just before exiting the kitchen, he turned around, motioned to the counter, and said, “Can you bring that cheese and cracker platter with you to the living room please?”

\---

“Snacks are ready,” Kurt said, cheerfully, as he placed the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. Blaine placed the platter he was carrying next to the bowl, then crossed the room to take a seat on the small storage bench – which normally sat in front of the small upright piano in the corner of the room – that had been placed next to the couch for extra seating.

“Thank you, sweetie and, uh, Blake,” Margaret replied.

“It’s _Blaine_ , grandma,” Kurt corrected her, polite smile on his face. “Which reminds me: I didn’t formally introduce you yet. Grandma, grandpa, I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Blaine Anderson. Blaine, this is my grandmother, Margaret Hummel, and my grandfather, Vincent Hummel.”

_**< <**Smooth, **> >**_ Blaine said, approvingly. _**< <**I didn’t detect a hint of passive-aggression in that statement. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Thank you, **> >**_ Kurt replied, smugly.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you both,” Blaine replied, aloud. “Kurt has told me a lot about both of you.”

“I can’t say the same,” Vincent told him. “Other than Burt mentioning you’d be here for Christmas dinner, we haven’t heard a single thing about you.”

“Well, I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have,” Blaine said.

_**< <**Are you sure that’s a good idea? **> >**_ Kurt questioned, arching an eyebrow at Blaine.

_**< <**Not really, **> >**_ he admitted. _**< <**But what else was I supposed to say? **> >**_

Kurt rolled his eyes as he walked over to Blaine and took a seat next to him on the bench.

“How long have you and Kurt… _known_ each other?” Vincent wondered. “Where did you meet?”

Blaine smiled in relief at the question before answering. “We met about a month ago. At school,” he said. “When Kurt transferred to Dalton Academy, he auditioned for the Warblers – that’s our school’s show choir. I’m the lead soloist, so it was my responsibility to help welcome him to the group and get him caught up with our songs and routines after he was accepted.” He glanced at Kurt, smiling softly at him. His voice was filled with affection when he continued, “We just instantly connected. After his audition, we spent _hours_ just getting to know each other better. He’s such an amazing person; we have so much in common, and get along so effortlessly, that we completely lost track of time that first afternoon. We’ve been practically inseparable ever since.”

“I see,” he replied. “So you’re older than Kurt then? What, with your leadership position in the group and all. And it’s not considered a conflict of interest to…get _close_ to subordinate club members? Especially younger, _impressionable_ ones; like Kurt. The others don’t see anything inappropriate with that; that you may _unintentionally_ show favoritism?”

“Uh, well, actually, Kurt is in the grade _above_ me. He’s older than I am – by less than a year, but…” Blaine began. “I’m only a sophomore. I’ll turn 17 in February. And while I do have a leadership role in the group, I’m not a part of the governing council that is _in charge_ of the group. The council – as well as _all_ of the other club members – are aware of my relationship with Kurt; measures have been put in place so that there are no unfair biases on my part. And everyone in the group has been very accepting of our relationship.”

Vincent nodded curtly and appeared to be done with his questions for the moment, while Margaret reached into her pocket and pulled out her rosary, clutching it tightly, while closing her eyes in silent prayer. Kurt’s eyes widened as he saw the string of beads she was holding and let out a soft, almost imperceptible gasp. He grasped Blaine’s hand in a grip so strong that, had Blaine not been a werewolf, his hand would have been crushed by how tightly Kurt was squeezing it. _**< <**Oh my god, **> >**_ Kurt whispered to Blaine, continuing to stare at the rosary in disbelief.

_**< <**What’s wrong? **> >**_ Blaine asked, confused, as he followed Kurt’s line of sight. _**< <**Why do you seem surprised?I thought you said she always prays for you with that when your sexuality gets mentioned? **> >**_

**_< <_** _What’s wrong is: that’s_ not _a normal rosary, **> >**_ Kurt told him. _**< <**There’s a glamour on it. I wasn’t able to see it before because I didn’t have access to my magic. But each bead on that thing is a different gemstone or crystal with _magical properties _; they are often used to enhance spells and enchantments. The bead she keeps rubbing is a_ healing _crystal. This whole time I thought my grandmother had been_ praying _for me; but in reality, she’s been trying to use magic to_ cure _me of being gay. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Are you serious? **> >**_ Blaine replied, in shock. _**< <**Holy shit. What, uh, what should we do? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Nothing, **> >**_ Kurt answered. _**< <**Saying or doing anything will tip her off that we know what she is, and what she’s doing. Besides, it’s not like her magic is going to do anything to me. She’s using a _healing _crystal. Being gay isn’t an illness. There’s nothing for her to ‘cure’. The only thing she’s achieving by doing that is wasting her energy. Not only that, but she’s been doing it for years and nothing has happened to me yet. I still find boys attractive and have no desire to ever be with a girl. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Okay. I trust you, **> >**_ Blaine conceded.

Carole looked around the room and tried to lighten up the mood. “Well, now that everyone’s here, why don’t we open up the presents?”

“Yeah, presents!” Finn cheered, oblivious of the tension in the room. He raced over to the tree and sat on the floor at the base of it. Reaching for the first box in front of him, Finn began to distribute the gifts. “Mom, this one’s yours.”

Blaine watched with a smile on his face as Kurt’s family opened their gifts one by one. After several gifts had been handed out and opened, Finn’s voice caught his attention. “Blaine,” Finn said, holding out a package, “here, dude, this one is for you; from mom and Burt.”

“For me?” he replied, confused. He slowly reached for the box as he looked around the room then back at Finn, cautiously taking the box from his hand. “You guys got me a gift?”

“Of course we did,” Burt told him. “This holiday is about giving after all. You think we’re gonna let you leave here empty handed?”

“It’s just…I wasn’t expecting anything,” he said, stunned. “I mean, I’m here as a guest – a _spectator_. I…I don’t know what to say except…thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now open your damn gift,” Burt replied, smiling.

Vincent narrowed his eyes, suspiciously, at Blaine. “What do mean? As a _spectator_? Just because you’re observing the holy day here, instead of at home with your own family – like _most_ people prefer to do – doesn’t make you exempt from its celebrations. The spirit of Christmas is with you no matter where you are.”

Before Blaine had time to process what had been said, Finn answered for him. “Blaine and his family are Eggnog Sticks. They don’t celebrate Christmas.”

Blaine tried not to laugh as he corrected Finn. “ _Agnostic_ , Finn; my family and I are Agnostic.”

“Isn’t that what I said?” Finn asked.

Instead of replying to Finn, Blaine just smiled and nodded. He began to unwrap his gift, as he thought about how to answer Vincent’s question. “I guess I just figured that, as someone who is not of Christian faith, there were going to be certain Christmas traditions you would have that I would be on the periphery of because of their significance. Basically, I thought I’d be enjoying these things with you, while not _actively_ engaging in them; if that makes sense.”

Blaine finally managed to get the box open and took out his gift. His face showed a flash of confusion followed by an appreciative smile. “Are these… _Percy Jackson_ audiobooks? In French?”

“We know you’re still struggling with the language,” Carole began, nodding, “and Kurt had mentioned how much you love that books series. He said you’ve read them so many times, you practically have the whole series memorized. We thought that listening to the books being read in French might help you with learning and processing the language since you’re so familiar with them in English.”

“That is so unbelievably thoughtful of you! I love it!” Blaine replied, getting up to give Carole a hug. “Thank you so much!” He turned to look at Burt and smiled at him. “Thank you, Burt. This is extremely generous of you. I know audiobooks can get expensive; especially when you’re importing them from another country. And you guys bought me the entire series. So, I really, really appreciate this. Thank you.”

“Don’t worry about it, kid,” Burt told him. “Carole found the entire set online for dirt cheap because the casing is slightly worn in a few places – but the discs are in mint condition.”

“You need to open your gift from me next,” Kurt told Blaine, excitedly, cutting off further conversation between him and Burt.

“Wait,” Blaine replied, doing a double-take at Kurt. “ _You_ got me a gift too?”

“So did I,” Finn added, shrugging. “I thought I was supposed to.”

“Of course I got you a gift, silly,” Kurt said, answering Blaine’s question.

“You are too much,” Blaine replied, fondly. “Oh! That reminds me. I actually have gifts for all of you as well. I wasn’t sure what the proper etiquette was for holiday gift giving, but I figured I should at _least_ bring gifts as a way to say thank you for having me and allowing me to be a part of your family celebrations. Let me just run upstairs and grab them. I’ll be right back.”

A moment later, Blaine returned to the living room with several small giftbags and boxes. “Finn, this is for you,” he said, handing him a tall, thin giftbag. Next, he handed Burt and Carole individual giftbags. Blaine looked at Kurt’s grandparents and said, “Mr. and Mrs. Hummel,” he held out another giftbag, “I got a gift for both of you as well.” Finally, he turned back to Kurt and handed him a slim giftbox about the size of a DVD case. “And this one…is for you.”

Finn tore open the gift Blaine gave him and grinned excitedly. “Oh, cool! New drumsticks! And a gift card to GameStop! Thanks, man.”

“You’re welcome,” Blaine told him. “Sorry I didn’t get you something a little more personalized. I was going to get you an actual game, but Kurt couldn’t remember which ones you already had or which ones you wanted, so I figured getting a gift card and letting you choose your own was probably the better option.”

“Nah, it’s cool,” Finn told him. “I’ve actually been putting off picking up a game I preordered ‘cause I had to save my money to buy Christmas gifts; so this is awesome. Oh, and I got you this.”

Blaine thanked him but held off opening it until the gifts he’d given had been opened.

Burt and Carole opened their gifts and thanked Blaine. He had gotten Burt a pocket-sized multitool that came with a leather case with a belt clip; and Carole received a wool-knit infinity scarf. Then Kurt’s grandmother opened the gift that Blaine had given to her and Vincent. Inside the giftbag was a wooden 4x6 picture frame with the word ‘family’ engraved on it. Inside the frame, Blaine had placed a photo of Burt and Kurt that he took himself last month when they spent the weekend in Lima after Sectionals.

Margaret looked up from the photo with a stoic face. Her voice held no emotion as she replied, “This is lovely. Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome,” he told her, politely, trying not to show confusion at her deadpan expression. Blaine quickly turned his attention to Kurt and smiled brightly at him. “Your turn! Open it!”

“Nope,” Kurt replied, smirking. “You have to open the gift I got you first.” He plucked a giftbox from underneath the tree and handed it to Blaine.

“Okay, okay,” he chuckled, taking the gift from Kurt. “This is the cardigan I wanted to buy the other day,” he said, once he had the gift open. “That’s why you told me I should hold off and wait for the after Christmas sales? Because you already bought it for me? Thank you, baby. I love it.” He kissed Kurt on the cheek, then lifted the sweater out of the box to get a closer look at it. A flash of color fell from the cardigan and landed back in the box. Picking up the green, blue, and black plaid cloth he asked, “There’s more? Oh, it’s a matching bowtie! It’s gorgeous! You know, the pattern on this looks just like one of the fabrics that you have over by your sewing table.”

“That’s because it is,” Kurt told him. “I made that. I couldn’t find a bowtie I liked that matched the cardigan exactly, but I was able to find that fabric; so I just made the bowtie myself.”

“You made this?! Oh my god, baby, this is exquisite!” he exclaimed. “I knew you were talented with a sewing machine, but this is beyond incredible.” Blaine gave Kurt another soft, quick kiss on the lips then smiled at Kurt adoringly. “Thank you, sweetie.”

Kurt ducked his head and blushed at the praise and affection he was he being shown. “I’m gonna open this now,” he said, picking up his gift from Blaine and shifting the conversation. After carefully removing the wrapping paper, he stared at the velvet jewelry box in his hands with wide eyes.

“Open it,” Blaine encouraged.

Lifting the lid, there was a gorgeous [silver-colored double wolf head chain-collar brooch](https://66.media.tumblr.com/2357e4be7a1d4c550125a07e96a26003/tumblr_plwpc5y22a1rrnhy3o1_1280.png). “It’s beautiful,” he said, voice filled with awe.

“I know that you love accessorizing with brooches,” Blaine began, “and you have several that are shaped like animal heads. So, I thought I’d look for an animal that you didn’t already have. And when I saw those wolves…I knew I had to get it.” Silently he added, _**< <**It reminded me of us. You know, two wolves connected together by a bond. It seemed fitting. **> >**_

**“** It’s absolutely perfect,” he said, staring at the jewelry with a soft smile. “I love it.”

“Wolves?” Margaret sneered. “Disgusting animals. You couldn’t have found something more… _classy_? And that doesn’t even look like real silver.”

“It doesn’t look like silver because it’s not,” Blaine replied, trying to remain calm. “In fact, there isn’t any actual silver in it at all. It’s made from an alloy called _German silver_.”

“So, it’s basically _nickel_ is what you’re saying? Meaning it’s not just tawdry, but it’s _cheap_ as well. Figures,” Margaret muttered.

“I think it looks cool,” Finn said. “I saw this thing at Rachel’s house a few weeks ago about wolves. It was on, like, Animal Planet or something. And they were talking about how a bunch of people are scared of wolves and don’t like them because people don’t know much about them and because there’s a lot of false stuff spread about them. But the wolves they showed were, like, really cool; kinda like really big, friendly puppy dogs. And you gotta love the way they sound too,” cupping his hands around his mouth and projecting his voice, Finn did his best imitation of a wolf howl, “ _ **AWWOOOOO!**_ ”

Both Kurt and Blaine visibly cringed at Finn’s howl. “No. Don’t do that,” Kurt muttered, shaking his head at his brother.

“Wolves are _not_ friendly,” Margaret replied, glaring at the three teenagers. “They are filthy beats. They’re ruthless, vile, power-hungry animals. The ones on that show you were watching had either been severely tamed and domesticated, or – more likely – were putting up a false pretense; making it easier to ambush and attack those poor unsuspecting humans that dared to get too close.”

Vincent put a calming hand on his wife’s shoulder. She nodded curtly at him then took a deep breath. Glancing over at Blaine and Kurt with a grimace, Margaret said, “Excuse me a moment. I’m going to make myself some tea. Shall I bring a tray in for all of you as well?”

“That would be wonderful, dear. I’ll help you,” Vincent told her. “Kurt? Would you and your _friend_ like some tea? Finn? How about you? Tea? Burt? Carole?”

After sharing a quick look with Blaine, Kurt nodded. “Blaine and I would love some tea,” he agreed. “Thank you, grandpa.”

“Uh, no thank you. I don’t really drink tea,” Finn answered.

“I’d love a cup if you don’t mind,” Carole told him.

“No thanks, dad,” Burt said. He lifted his half full coffee mug. “I’m good for now.”

As Kurt’s grandparents retreated into the kitchen, Blaine remembered that he still needed to open his gift from Finn. He picked up the box and peeled away the wrapping paper. While Blaine was reading the package, Finn explained what it was. “It’s called a miniature power bank. Basically, it’s a keychain with a phone charger built in. So if you’re out somewhere and your phone is dead or dying you can just plug your keychain into your phone to charge it up. You don’t even need a charging cable or an outlet ‘cause it’s all built in. And it’s got a keyring on it, so you can clip it to your keys; that way you probably won’t forget it or lose it.”

“This is great, Finn. Thanks,” Blaine told him.

\---

Kurt got an uneasy feeling as his grandparents walked back into the living room with a tray of teacups and shortbread cookies. Margaret handed Carole her tea, then Kurt, then Blaine. She then sat back down with her own tea and a sly grin spread over her face as she took a sip of her drink.

_**< <**Something’s wrong, **> >**_ he told Blaine. _**< <**I don’t know what it is, but something’s not right. **> > **_Kurt peeked over at Blaine, watching as Blaine brought his teacup up to his mouth while subtly giving Kurt a quizzical glance requesting him to elaborate; then suddenly, Kurt very emphatically Seigneur-commanded Blaine, _**< <**Stop! Drop that cup! **> >**_

Blaine gasped as he instantly released his grip on the cup causing it to go crashing down on the floor, spilling hot tea all over himself and the hardwood below in the process. He glanced at Kurt with a fearful yet confused expression, to which Kurt offered no reply.

“Oh my goodness!” Carole exclaimed, quickly handing Blaine a few napkins, shaking him out of his dazed state. “Are you alright?”

Kurt was still in shock over having to issue the commands that it took him a moment to remember to release Blaine from the ‘stop’ command so that he could reach out and take the napkins that Carole was offering to him.

“Yes, I’m fine. I’m so sorry,” Blaine replied, as he began dabbing at the tea that splashed on his arms and legs. “I don’t know what happened. My hand just…spasmed. I am so, so sorry.”

“It’s fine, sweetie,” Kurt told him, while grabbing some extra napkins of his own to clean the spilled tea off the floor. “As long as you’re okay; that’s what’s important. This is just a little bit of liquid. Nothing serious. See? The cup didn’t even break; not even a chip. Why don’t you go upstairs and change out of those pants before the stain sets in, and I’ll clean up this mess. I have some aloe lotion on my vanity if you need it for the burns. And there’s some pretreat stain remover spray under the sink in the bathroom too.”

“Let me at least help you clean this up first,” Blaine offered.

“No,” he Seigneur-commanded again, while making his regular voice sound kind and gentle. “I’ve got this. Go. Change.” He silently added, _**< <**And make sure to thoroughly wash any skin that came in contact with this cup and its contents too **. >>**_

“Okay,” Blaine agreed. _**< <**Yes, Monseigneur, **> >**_ he added, silently, slightly bowing his head in deference before rushing upstairs to change and wash up. Once he got upstairs and stripped off his pants, he asked, _**< <**Are you going to tell me why you Seigneur-commanded me to spill hot tea all over myself? You’re lucky it wasn’t hot enough to actually burn me. **> >**_

**_< <_** _I didn’t mean to make you spill it on yourself, **> >**_ Kurt answered, while continuing to mop up the puddle on the living room floor. _**< <**I wasn’t thinking straight when I told you to ‘drop it’. I was just trying to make sure that you didn’t _drink _it. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Okay; but_ why _? **> >**_ Blaine asked again. _**< <**Why didn’t you want me to drink the tea? **> >**_

**_< <_** _I just had a really bad feeling. Something felt_ off _. And I think it might have had to do with your tea. But I don’t know for sure what it was exactly. I just didn’t like the feeling I was getting. Telling you to drop the cup was almost like a reflex. I don’t know how explain it really. I’m sorry I don’t have a better answer for you, **> > **_he replied. When he finished cleaning the tea up off the floor, Kurt took the teacup into the kitchen to get Blaine a refill, tossing the used napkins into the trash bin while there. Once he was out of the living room, he thought he could smell something odd emanating from the teacup, so he lifted it closer to his face and sniffed at it. He then wrapped both hands around the cup and closed his eyes, using magic to further investigate the odor. A second later he opened his eyes and gasped, then rushed over to the sink to rinse the cup and scrub his hands. _**< <**Nevermind what I said earlier. I figured out what happened.Your tea was spiked, **> >**_ he told Blaine, who was still upstairs washing up.

_**< <**Spiked? How? With what? **> >**_ Blaine asked.

_**< <**With a memory altering potion, **> >**_ Kurt told him.

_**< <**A what? **> >**_ he replied, confused.

_**< <**A memory altering potion, **> >**_ Kurt repeated. _**< <**Basically, it’s a potion created with magic that would make you remember things that didn’t actually happen and forget things that did. It can also _change _memories so that you would remember an event or conversation differently than how it actually happened. And this one was specifically targeting your memories related to me. **> >**_

**_< <_** _I’m guessing that your grandparents are responsible for this potion? **> >**_ he checked. _**< <**But what do they get out of it? What good does altering my memories of you do for them? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Did you see how they reacted every time you called me by a pet name? Or kissed me? Or even just looked at me with the barest hint of affection? **> > **_Kurt began. _**< <**As much as they pretend that they aren’t, my grandparents are homophobic. They _hate _that I’m gay. And now that I have a boyfriend, they hate that I’m acting on those thoughts and feelings even more.It’s easier for them to pretend I’ll eventually settle down with a girl if I’m not dating anyone at all; dating a boy ruins their fantasy. But warlock magic isn’t capable of altering someone’s emotions; so they can’t just cast a spell or make a potion that will cause you to fall out of love with me – or one that will make me fall in love with some girl. However, if they alter your memories, you might begin to feel differently about me all on your own. Especially if you are suddenly remembering fights that didn’t take place, or me flirting with some other guy, or even forgetting special memories of the two of us. The memories wouldn’t be altered all at once, just a little at a time, making it hard to pick up on. These new memories – plus the lack of other memories – might cause you to reevaluate our relationship and break up with me. Or you could just get angry, jealous, and overly possessive; causing me to get frustrated by your lack of faith in me and then I’d break up with you. Either way, that will allow my grandparents to continue to ignore my sexuality and hope that this ‘phase’ of my life passes quickly. And I think that they hope that if I’m the one getting dumped, or I break up with you because of a radical change in your behavior, I might write off men altogether; which is why they spiked your tea and not mine. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Would that even be able to work on us though? **> >**_ Blaine wondered. _**< <**I mean, we’re _soulmates _. Deep down, I would know that we’re meant to be together no matter what. It’s literally_ impossible _for me to stop caring about you. So, if I’m having memories of you yelling at me, or flirting with other guys, I’m going to know that something’s not right. It will only make me work harder at making sure we are okay and happy together. Even if our soul-bond caused this potion to affect your memories too, I’m_ still _not sure that it would cause a_ major _rift between us. We’d have communication issues, certainly, but definitely not issues that could cause us to break up, especially since – like it or not – we’re mated for life. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Oh shit. That just made me think of something, **> >**_ Kurt said, as realization came upon him. _**< <**This potion was designed for _human _consumption. There’s no telling what kind of horrible side effects this would have on a werewolf – not that my grandparents actually know that you’re a werewolf. But I can definitely guarantee one thing; there_ would _be side effects. Unpleasant side effects. No question about it. If you had drank this… **> > **_He shuddered, thinking about the possibilities.

_**< <**So, what do we do? **> >**_ Blaine asked, as he returned downstairs in an entirely brand-new outfit, grateful that Kurt had overprepared and packed extras.

_**< <**Don’t accept anything my grandparents give you without allowing me to run a scan on it first, **> >**_ Kurt told him from the kitchen. _**< <**I honestly don’t think they will try anything else right away, but it doesn’t hurt to be safe. Also, keep your nose alert for the scent of magic or any odors you can’t identify. The whole reason I realized that your tea was spiked was because I thought the cup had an odd scent to it. As for everything else… we keep pretending that nothing is wrong and that dropping the drink was an accident. Letting my grandparents know that I am aware of their magic – or even the existence of magic in general – is out of the question. Absolutely nothing good can from that. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Well, you know more about warlocks than I do, and they are your grandparents, so I will follow your lead on this; whatever you think is right, **> >** _Blaine said. _**< <**And I’ll definitely be paying closer attention to the scents around me from now on. I’ll let you know if I smell anything weird. But, baby, most of this house smells like magic because of your dad; filtering those scents won’t be easy. **> > **_

_**< <**I know. But just try, **> >** _he agreed, walking back into the living room. “Here you go, honey.” Kurt handed Blaine a fresh cup of tea that he brewed himself. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I am, thank you,” Blaine confirmed, accepting the drink. “And thank you for cleaning up the spill. I really am sorry about that.” Noticing the eyes of several of the room’s occupants looking in his direction, he transferred the teacup to his left hand then stared down at his right hand, flexing it a few times – pretending to still be concerned about the ‘spasm’ he had earlier. When he looked back up, he noticed Margaret scowling at him. He ignored the look, turning back to Kurt. “I do still feel bad that I didn’t help you clean up though.”

“Don’t worry about it, sweetie,” Kurt replied, gently. _**< <**You wouldn’t have dropped your drink if I didn’t _order _you to; it’s only fair that I be the one to clean up the mess. Stop feeling guilty. **> >**_ Blaine acquiesced, nodding slightly. Kurt then continued, “Besides, you needed to get out of those wet clothes. I’m just glad that you didn’t _seriously_ burn yourself.”

“Curious how that happened, isn’t it?” Vincent added, suspiciously. “Scalding hot liquid goes all over your lap, and you’re not hurt? Not even the slightest? You’re a lucky young man.”

“I suppose I am,” he agreed.

\---

“Ugh! Sports,” Kurt complained when Burt changed the channel on the TV. “Guess that means it’s time to go assist Carole and grandma in the kitchen.” He stood up then glanced back down at Blaine. “You coming?”

“Would you mind if I stayed out here to watch the game for a little while?” Blaine asked, hopefully.

“Didn’t you just watch a game with your dad and brother the other day though?” he replied.

Blaine gave him an amused look before nodding. “I did. But there are different teams playing today.”

Kurt scrunched up his face in displeasure and rolled his eyes in response. “Join me later?”

“Absolutely,” he agreed. Blaine grabbed Kurt’s hand bringing it to his lips for a kiss. “Thank you, baby. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Kurt said, trying to bite back the huge grin threatening to take over his blushing face, before scurrying off to the kitchen.

Finn looked over at Blaine in confusion for a moment before snapping his attention back to the game on TV. About 15 minutes later, during a commercial break, Finn looked over at Blaine again. “So, uh, you really like basketball, huh? I mean, you seem like you really understand it and were into what was happening.”

“Yeah. I love basketball…and football, and baseball…I might even be able to tolerate a Blue Jackets game every once in while too,” Blaine replied.

“Really?” Finn said, shocked. “I didn’t think you’d like sports.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” he wondered.

“Well, uh, it’s just that…uh, well, _Kurt_ doesn’t like watching sports, you know?” Finn stammered.

“I know he doesn’t,” Blaine answered. “But I’m not Kurt. I enjoy watching sports, as well as playing them. Remember I told you last night about how I box? I was also a part of my town’s little league soccer team for 5 years too. And I’ve won several awards and trophies for fencing as well as polo. I love the competitiveness of it all; it’s fun.”

“Yeah, but…” he trailed off, looking uncomfortable. “I mean…you’re…you know. And…I don’t know…I just didn’t think it’d be something you liked is all.”

“I’m what? I’m gay?” Blaine asked, finishing Finn’s thought. “Why should that matter? Stereotypes hurt more than just the people they are aimed at, you know? I mean, there are plenty of people that assume if you like singing and dancing that means you must be gay. But you enjoy singing show tunes with your glee club, right? And you’re as straight as an arrow. So don’t assume that just because I’m gay that I must hate – or can’t understand – sports.” The game came back from commercial break and Blaine turned away from Finn toward the TV.

\---

When Blaine finally joined Kurt in the kitchen, Margaret retreated to the living room, claiming to need to rest her feet for a moment. The boys were currently helping Carole to take the food into the dining room and get the table set for dinner. Carole handed Kurt some plates and cutlery, then gave Blaine a few small bowls of cooked vegetables.

“Um, Carole?” Blaine began, hesitantly, staring at Kurt with wide eyes. “That flatware you handed Kurt is _real_ silver, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is; it was my grandmother’s,” she told him. “I only take it out on special occasions.”

“Would you be terribly offended if I asked to use the regular flatware instead?” he asked. “It’s just…I’m sort of… _allergic_ to silver.”

“You are?” Kurt asked. “I didn’t know that. It’s funny, you know, my mom was allergic to silver too. Strange thing to be allergic to, isn’t it?”

“It’s actually a common metal allergy,” Blaine told him, squinting at Kurt in confusion.

“Of course I don’t mind, sweetie; here,” Carole replied, taking a set of regular flatware out of the drawer. “Safety over sophistication. We don’t need anyone making a trip to the Emergency Room today.”

He bowed his head politely as he took the flatware from her. “Thank you.”

As the two boys took the items to the dining room, Kurt quietly asked, _**< <**Okay, what was that look for? **> >**_

**_< <_** _You do realize silver is_ poisonous _to werewolves, right? **> >**_he answered. _**< <**That’s why your mom was ‘allergic’ to it. **> >**_

**_< <_** _What? How? I’ve never had any kind of negative reaction to it before, **> >**_ Kurt told him. _**< <**See, I’m touching it right now. Nothing. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Your magic must be protecting you somehow, **> >**_ he replied. _**< <**Because when a werewolf’s skin comes in contact with silver, they will have an _immediate _reaction to it. The silver causes severe skin and eye irritation as well as swelling. And_ oral _contact is a hundred times worse because a werewolf’s palate is so sensitive – it’s sort of like the difference between someone inhaling the scent of bleach versus someone tasting bleach…only worse. Any kind of internal contact with silver needs to be treated right away or it can cause us to go into anaphylactic shock. You’d also lose control over your body and wolf-out since our bodies can withstand pain and fight infections a lot better while in wolf form. External contact isn’t quite as deadly; but it’s still dangerous. I mean, there’s a reason that myth about needing silver bullets to kill werewolves exists. Because if we get silver in our_ bloodstream _? It’s almost always fatal. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Why was I not told about this before? **> >**_ Kurt demanded.

_**< <**I thought you knew! **> >**_ he said. _**< <**I know your mom didn’t talk about a lot of werewolf specific things with you, but I figured she would have at least explained the severity of what silver was capable of doing to her as a werewolf. To lessen the chance that you might give her something made with pure silver – like jewelry or something. Or maybe to make sure that _you _stay away from silver yourself, just in case you inherited the ‘allergy’; which I’m very surprised you didn’t, considering your DNA currently resembles that of a full-blooded werewolf. But I guess that’s the beauty of being a warlock/werewolf hybrid; all of our strengths, none of our weaknesses. **> >**_

**_< <_** _So are you going to be able to eat any of the food that has touched a silver utensil? Or…? **> > **_Kurt asked.

_**< <**If these utensils weren’t pure silver, and were only silver plated, then I wouldn’t eat anything they touched; because there is a chance the silver plating could have flaked off into the food. But since they are pure silver, I can eat it all of it – as long as the silver utensil isn’t still attached to it at the time, **> > **_he answered.

\---

During dinner, Vincent kept sending curious looks across the table towards Blaine. “Was there not enough silverware to go around? You seem to be the only one at the table using regular flatware.”

While Blaine hurried to chew and swallow the food in his mouth to answer, Carole spoke up in his defense. “Blaine has an allergy to silver.”

Margaret arched an eyebrow at him. “Oh really? A silver allergy? I heard those can be quite _devastating_.”

Blaine cleared his throat before replying, “For some people they can be. Luckily, I’m not one of them. I only have a mild allergy. It just causes a bit of a rash; nothing that some calamine lotion can’t cure.” He smiled reassuringly, then carefully looked away and resumed eating.

_**< <**When did you learn to lie convincingly? I think I would have believed that if I didn’t know any better, **> >**_ Kurt said, proudly.

_**< <**When it’s a matter of keeping my true nature a secret, I’m capable of almost anything, **> >**_ he replied. _**< <**And I like to think of protecting my identity as _acting _rather than lying. **> >**_

Kurt smiled at Blaine while lightly placing his hand on Blaine’s wrist, stroking it gently with his thumb. His grandmother stared at the affectionate gesture and took a sharp breath, reaching into her pocket for her rosary again. The rosary slipped out of her pocket before she could get hold of it then slid under the table, landing at Blaine’s feet.

“Oh, here, let me get that for you,” Blaine said, bending down to pick the beads up off the floor.

“No, that’s quite alright. I’ll just retrieve it later,” Margaret told him, waving him off.

Blaine already had picked the rosary up off the floor before she could speak her reply. He suppressed a shudder as a current of static electricity began flowing through his body from the moment he touched it. He felt Kurt’s grip on his wrist tighten as he stiffened beside him, and he looked up to see that Kurt now had a vacant look on his face. “Kurt?” he asked, cautiously. “Baby, are you alright?”

“My beads, please,” Margaret said, sharply, holding her hand out impatiently after seeing her rosary in Blaine’s hand.

“Oh, yes, of course; sorry,” he told her, slowly handing the rosary over to her while continuing to keep an eye on Kurt. The static electricity faded out as she took them from him. Once the rosary was out of Blaine’s hands, Kurt slowly started to come back to himself, relaxing his grip on Blaine’s wrist. “Kurt? What’s wrong? You okay, baby?”

“Huh?” He quickly shook off whatever was bothering him and replied, “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, guess I just zoned out for a second. But I’m fine.” Kurt smiled brightly at Blaine again then silently added, _**< <**Smile and play along. Act like you believe me. I’ll explain later. **> >**_

Blaine let out a small sigh of relief and smiled at Kurt, chuckling just a little. “You know,” he began playfully, “if you had gone to sleep earlier last night, _like I suggested_ , instead of pushing yourself to stay up past the point of over-exhaustion – knowing you had an early morning ahead of you – you wouldn’t be so overtired that you zone out during dinner. Next thing you know, you’ll be falling asleep in your candied yams.”

Placing a hand on his chest in faux-offense, Kurt let out a gasp while giving Blaine a look of mild indignation. “It was Christmas Eve family time,” he said, as if that explained everything. “I couldn’t miss that. It only happens one night a year; sleep happens every night.”

\---

After dinner, the adults lingered in the kitchen chatting, plating up the desserts, and making coffee; while Finn, Kurt and Blaine went back into the living room. Blaine could hear Vincent and Margaret attempting to ask casual questions about Blaine and his relationship with Kurt under the guise of wanting to be more involved their grandson’s life. He shared a look with Kurt, who just shrugged, not knowing what to do.

“Does that piano work?” Blaine asked, suddenly, pointing to the corner of the room, changing the focus of his attention. “Or rather, has it been tuned at all?”

“Yeah, it works; and I tuned it myself a few months ago, so it should be fine,” Kurt replied. “Why?”

“You said after dinner was a time for Christmas carols and movies, right?” he checked. “So, I thought I could play some holiday songs for everyone.”

“But I thought you didn’t celebrate Christmas?” Finn asked. “Do you even know any Christmas songs?”

“It’s near impossible to avoid being bombarded with Christmas music whenever you turn on the radio or walk into a store during the month of December,” Blaine told him. “I may not celebrate the holiday, but that doesn’t mean I’m immune to its components; especially when the holiday is so commercialized. Plus, I’ve been performing in choirs and show choirs for most of my life. There’s usually some sort of Winter Holiday Concert comprised of mostly Christmas music that I have to sing or play piano at. I’ve memorized the piano parts for quite a few of the non-religious holiday songs. And if you happen to have sheet music for others, I’ll be able to play those for you too.”

“There’s a basket of sheet music next to the piano,” Kurt said. “I think there’s some Christmas music in there.” He began to dig through the pile of sheet music while Blaine brought the bench back over to the small upright piano and began to play _‘Frosty The Snowman’_.

\---

The adults eventually all joined them in the living room, bringing several trays of coffee and desserts with them. Kurt made sure to subtly analyze everything before he or Blaine ate or drank any of it. Thankfully, none of the food contained any magic or potions. Kurt fed forkfuls of pumpkin pie to Blaine while his hands were occupied playing the piano – much to the annoyance of Kurt’s grandparents. Slowly, everyone joined in singing carols with the boys while Christmas movies continued to play in the background.

Several songs later, they took a break from caroling to watch television. “I’m gonna grab a refill on my coffee. You want anything from the kitchen?” Blaine asked Kurt, eyeing his empty coffee mug.

“Ooh! Can you get me a refill too…and another slice of apple pie à la mode?” Kurt replied, smiling sweetly while batting his eyelashes at his mate.

Blaine chuckled lightly at Kurt’s adorableness while answering, “Sure thing, babe.” He picked up Kurt’s empty plate and mug before asking, “Vanilla or Chocolate Chip?”

“One scoop of each…please.” Just as Blaine reached the door to the kitchen, Kurt called out in his Seigneur-voice, “Blaine, wait.”

Blaine froze in place, schooled his face into a mask of casual curiosity, and turned toward Kurt. “Yeah, sweetie? What is it?”

Kurt walked over and began fiddling with Blaine’s bowtie. “Your bowtie is crooked,” he replied out loud, while simultaneously replying telepathically, _**< <**I needed to stall you, so I could put a shield over you before you crossed that threshold. **> >**_ He glanced at the doorway then back at Blaine. _**< <**There’s an Identification Spell on the frame. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Do I want to know what that is? **> >**_ Blaine wondered.

“There. All better,” Kurt told him, while silently releasing him from the command. “Now go get me my pie.”

“Yes, sir,” Blaine replied, playfully, while saluting Kurt before walking into the kitchen. _**< <**I take it from your lack of response that I _don’t _want to know what that spell does? **> >**_

**_< <_** _If you crossed that threshold without my shield, it would out you as a werewolf to my grandparents, **> >**_ Kurt told him. _**< <**The spell identifies any supernatural being that passes through it by temporarily putting a glowing, color-coded aura around them. My grandparents must have put the spell on the doorframe to find out whether or not you had any supernatural abilities. I mean, you heard how suspicious they were of you earlier – what with not getting burned by the tea, and you being allergic to silver. Guess they feel the need to make sure you actually are human. **> >**_

**_< <_** _So, walking through that door without a shield means I would have been glowing bright purple or something? **> >**_ he asked. _**< <**And with the shield, I’ll look like an ordinary human? But what about Finn and Carole? How would anyone explain to them how or why I’m glowing like that without also outing your grandparents as warlocks? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Werewolves have a yellow aura, not purple; but, yes, that’s exactly what would happen, **> >**_ Kurt confirmed. _**< <**And only people with supernatural blood can see the aura the spell produces; so Finn and Carole wouldn’t need explanations because they wouldn’t be able to see that you were glowing. Although, my dad would probably need an explanation because he has no idea what his parents are; and they have no idea his magic isn’t 100% bound. **> >**_

Blaine returned to the living room with a large slice of apple pie and two mugs of coffee. “Your pie and beverage, my good sir.”

“Thank you, honey,” Kurt replied.

Blaine sat back down next to Kurt and turned his attention to the movie on the TV. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Vincent and Margaret watching him curiously. He couldn’t tell if they were disappointed or relieved that he didn’t have a supernatural aura. _**< <**How did you know there was a spell on the doorframe anyway? Did you see or hear your grandparents do something that I missed? I know they didn’t leave the kitchen until after your parents did, but I had my back to them while at the piano, so I didn’t see anything. **> >**_

**_< <_** _No; nothing like that, **> >** _he answered. _**< <**It was almost like I could sense the spell radiating off the doorframe through our bond. The closer you got to the door, the stronger that sensation became. I knew if I shielded you, you’d be okay; but I didn’t realize _what _I was actually shielding you from until I was standing next to the doorway myself. Once I was physically closer to the spell – instead of just sensing it through you – I was able to tell what it was and where it was coming from. **> >**_

\---

Despite the long drive home, Kurt’s grandparents didn’t end up leaving until around 9:00pm. Once they left Kurt let out a deep sigh of relief. He immediately shielded himself and went into the kitchen, so he could remove the Identification Spell on the doorway without Carole or Finn seeing what he was doing. After that he slowly wandered the entire main level of the house checking to make sure there were no other magic related surprises left behind by his grandparents.

When he deemed the house to be safe, Kurt returned back to the living room. Carole had begun cleaning up some of the remnants of their evening and gathering dirty dishes to bring to the kitchen. “Oh no,” she said, quietly, as she peered into the giftbag she just picked up off the floor.

“Everything alright?” Burt asked her.

“Your parents forgot the picture frame that Blaine got them,” she replied. “We’ll have to stop by the post office tomorrow and mail it to them.”

“I wouldn’t bother,” Kurt said, bitterly. “Pretty sure they left it here on purpose.”

“Why would you think that?” Carole wondered.

“Because of how rude they were to him all day,” Kurt huffed. “They _refused_ to refer to him as my boyfriend. Constantly calling him my _‘friend’_ ; and even then, the word friend was said with a sneer. Plus, did you see how they reacted to him giving them that gift?” Kurt mimicked his grandmother’s blank face and flat voice, “This is lovely.” Rolling his eyes and breaking character he added, “And then she stuffed it back in the bag and didn’t touch it again for the rest of the night. I think they were annoyed by the fact that he was being so polite and respectful because that meant they didn’t have a reason to be outright rude to him; so they had to resort to dirty looks and sarcastic, arrogant comments – like calling the brooch Blaine got me cheap and tawdry because it wasn’t made of pure silver and depicted the head of an animal that _she_ personally dislikes.”

Carole frowned. “I suppose you’re right,” she agreed, reluctantly. “We’ll keep the frame displayed here and send it to them if they ask after it.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” he muttered. “At least we won’t have to see them for a few months. Maybe they’ll learn some manners by then.” Kurt then cleared his throat and looked over at his father. “Hey, dad? Is it alright if Blaine and I go up to my room for a bit?”

Burt sighed before nodding. “Yeah, I guess you two have earned a break. Just don’t stay up there all night.”

\---

Upon arriving in Kurt’s room, Kurt put up a one-way sound barrier, so his family couldn’t accidentally overhear their conversation, yet they could still tell if someone approached his room.

“I hope this means you’re finally going to tell me what happened at dinner,” Blaine said, expectantly.

Kurt nodded at him. “Remember when we first saw my grandmother’s rosary after you explained to them how we met? And I told you that each bead held a different magical property? Well, when you picked the rosary up off the floor during dinner, the bead you touched caused me to have a…a _vision_.”

“A vision? Of what? How?” he wondered.

“The bead was a stone that is associated with memories – _not_ like the potion they tried to give you, completely different aspect of memory,” he hurried to clarify, seeing the fear on Blaine’s face at the word ‘memories’. “This stone helps with _retaining_ memories. But since it’s my grandmother’s stone, it’s _her_ memories that it helps to retain. And _that’s_ what I had a vision of. One of my grandmother’s memories. The memory of the ceremony that bound my dad’s magic to be more precise.” He struggled to get his emotions under control, so he could continue. “I know what went wrong. It _wasn’t_ an accident like my mom was told. My grandmother _purposefully_ had the terms of the spell changed because she was extremely jealous of my dad’s magic. As an infant, without access to his full power, his magic level was at 4.8. _Most_ adult warlocks have a magic range between 3.5 and 4.0; hardly any rank above that. Because of this, grandma has always felt superior to other warlocks because her magic is a 4.5 while grandpa’s is 4.1. But my dad…who knows how powerful his magic would become when he grew up and gained access to its full strength.

“Grandma didn’t like that her infant son already had stronger magic than her; it made her angry and irrationally jealous. So she took it away from him by telling the specialist to change the terms of the spell from ‘dampen’ to ‘bind’ – _behind my grandfather’s back_. That way she could feel more powerful again. But what my grandmother _doesn’t_ know… is that unfortunately for her, the fact that she never clued grandpa in on the change in terms, meant the spell didn’t work the way it was supposed to; because they _both_ had to act as a proxy and give consent on my dad’s behalf during the ceremony. And because they were unknowingly consenting to two different things, that made it possible for the minor deterioration of dad’s bindings, allowing small amounts of magic to leak into his bloodstream. She didn’t think it would make a difference if grandpa knew or not since the specialist was the one officiating the ceremony and actually performing the spell. For some reason, she thought giving their consent meant they were saying, _‘yes, we agree to allow you to perform a spell on our child’_. It didn’t occur to her that they had to specify _which_ spell was allowed to be performed. And because they’ve never bothered to run a blood test that can track supernatural activity on dad, just relied on inspection to tell them about his magic – or lack thereof – none of them have any clue that those bindings aren’t 100% stable,” he explained. “They all think that his magic is completely bound since his magic level ranks at zero like all other non-magic wielding humans – even though he actually does have _some_ free/usable magic.”

“Wow…” Blaine replied in disbelief. “But I still don’t understand… how did _you_ have a vision of your grandmother’s memory, when _I_ was the one holding the rosary?”

“I was touching you while you were touching the stone,” he said. “You and I are connected by a soul-bond. My grandmother and I are connected by blood – we share the same strain of magic. The stone could sense my grandmother’s magic through our bond. And since you and I were physically connected while you held the rosary, it was as though I was touching it myself.”

Blaine made a small noise of understanding as he nodded. “And _that’s_ why I felt that charge of static electricity running through my body. It was the magic from the stone using me to get to you.”

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“I know you told me that binding magic was irreversible,” Blaine began, “but since your dad’s bindings aren’t completely stable and are leaking…is it possible to free the rest of his magic?”

Kurt shook his head. “No. It is possible – but unlikely – that his bindings can get _weaker_ and allow a little more magic out, but there’s nothing that can be done to _fully_ break them. And even if there was, I don’t think my dad would want them broken. He likes his life the way it is.”

“Learning about why your grandmother wanted to bind his magic, it makes me wonder,” he looked at Kurt curiously, “what is the strength level or rank or whatever of _your_ magic? You said your grandmother is a 4.5, and grandfather is a 4.1; but what about you? Where do you fit on that scale?”

“I don’t know,” Kurt shrugged. “I know Dr. Yeung said mine and my father’s magic was ‘strong’, but strong compared to what? His definition of strong could vastly differ from what a warlock would consider strong. I mean, he said it himself, he doesn’t have a lot of experience with warlock magic; just a few copies of random medical records he was somehow able to get his hands on. And even if he did have more knowledge and understanding of it, he still isn’t capable of giving me an actual level number because the only way a warlock can find out their magic level is through inspection. Usually a person’s doctor will perform the inspection for their medical file, and they find out that way, since you can’t see your own face in order to do an inspection on yourself. If for some reason you don’t have a warlock doctor, then a family member or close friend can do the inspection then magically share the inspection image with you. But inspection won’t even work on me because of my werewolf DNA. I didn’t register as a warlock when Maggie did an inspection on me when I was a baby. And I’m almost positive that my grandfather did an inspection on _both of us_ today after you passed through the Identification Spell without showing signs of supernatural blood; and had his inspection been successful, we would _definitely_ know about it. Besides, even if inspection did work, who would I ask? The little bit of my dad’s magic that is available to him isn’t strong enough to do an inspection. And Maggie and my grandparents are the only other warlocks I know. And I honestly don’t feel comfortable with either of them finding out I even have magic.”

“What about me?” Blaine checked. “I could do the inspection, right? I mean, I have access to your magic, and I know how to use it; and since we don’t share a body, I can look at your actual, physical face and body instead of just a reflection of you. Plus, since we’re soulmates, and it’s technically _your_ magic to begin with, I might be able to bypass whatever protections your werewolf DNA is providing.”

Kurt looked at Blaine in awe. “That…might just work,” he replied, slowly. “It can’t hurt to try anyway.”

“Give me your hands,” Blaine said, reaching out toward Kurt. He took hold of Kurt’s hands then closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, deepening their bond with one another, strengthening their connection and allowing him access to more potent magic. Once he felt his essence deep within Kurt, he opened his eyes, looked at Kurt, then refocused his vision to do the inspection. “Whoa! …That is a lot of data.”

“It worked? You can see my magic level?” Kurt asked.

“It definitely worked,” he confirmed. “I’m trying to find the level, but there’s just a lot of information to process here; I’m not sure where to look.”

“Lower righthand corner. That’s where the level is located,” Kurt told him.

“Okay, let’s see… lower right corner,” Blaine repeated to himself, shifting his attention to where he was told the level was located. “Uh, hang on a second. Kurt? Baby? Didn’t you say that adult warlock magic usually ranks between 3.5 and 4.0? Because unless I’m interpreting this data incorrectly…your magic is ranked at a _10.2_.”

“What!?” he exclaimed. “Take a mental photograph of everything you see right now and telepathically send me that image.” Blaine did as he was asked and sent the mental photo to Kurt. “Holy shit…” Kurt breathed out in awe. “It really does say that my magic is ranked that high. I can’t believe this. Whoa… You’re still looking at this image, right? Look just below my magic level; where it says ‘shared lvl: 4.5 - 5.0’. Do you know what that is? That’s the level of magic _you_ are capable of. There’s a range because our physical proximity plays a factor into what you can access. You don’t even _have_ magic and you can use magic more powerful than what most warlocks wield. Damn…”

“Is it wrong of me that the only response I have to that is pride over being at least as powerful, if not more powerful, than your grandmother?” Blaine asked, finally cancelling the inspection and withdrawing his essence from Kurt.

“It’s definitely petty,” Kurt replied, smirking. “But that doesn’t necessarily make it wrong.” He raked his eyes over his mate while licking his lips. “You know…all this talk about power is sort of turning me on. What would you say if I told you that right now I really, _really_ want to blow you then go back downstairs and eat more desserts?”

Blaine looked him straight in the eye and replied, “I would say: I love you and why are you not already on your knees?”


	8. Chapter 8

As Kurt began to stir awake, Blaine snuggled closer to him, pressing his chest against Kurt’s back and tightening his arm around Kurt’s waist. He peppered small kisses over the back of Kurt’s neck and shoulders. “Good morning, beautiful.”

“Mmm…” he hummed, happily. “You know…the morning would go from ‘good’ to ‘great’ if you were naked right now.”

Blaine let out a soft chuckle. “Is that so?”

“Mmhmm,” he confirmed, nodding slightly.

“Well unfortunately, it’s almost 10am,” Blaine told him. “I let you sleep in later than planned because I knew you hadn’t slept well the past few days. And since we are driving back to Westerville in a few hours, I figure that we should probably use this time to spend with your family, rather than hide away in your old bedroom having sex.”

Kurt groaned then turned around in Blaine’s arms so the two of them were now facing each other. He pouted at his mate. “Why do you have to be so responsible all the time?”

“It’s the curse of being an Alpha, I suppose,” he replied, kissing the tip of Kurt’s nose. “Now, come on; your brother has already been in here once this morning wondering when we were gonna go downstairs and join everyone. I had to stop cuddling you so I could sit on the air mattress pretending to use my laptop while he was in here. It wasn’t fun. Which means, you probably should get up now. We don’t want to keep them waiting much longer.”

“Ugh! Fine!” Kurt whined, tossing the blanket off of him as he reluctantly got out of bed. “But to make this up to me, you’re making those lemon-blueberry pancakes for me for breakfast while I go shower and change. I know for a fact my parents have all the ingredients in the kitchen. I’m sure they won’t mind if you take over cooking for a little bit.”

“Oui, Monseigneur,” he agreed, saluting Kurt.

\---

“Good morning, Blaine,” Carole said as Blaine walked into the living room.

“Where’s Kurt?” Burt asked, looking behind him toward the stairs.

“He’s in the shower,” Blaine replied. “He asked me to make him some pancakes for breakfast. Do you guys mind if I borrow your kitchen? I promise I’m a good chef and I won’t burn your house down.”

“Ooh, can you make some for me too?” Finn asked.

“You just ate breakfast,” Carole reminded Finn. She then turned to Blaine and said, “I don’t mind at all, but I saved some waffles for you and Kurt, if you boys want those instead. They’re on top of the stove; they should still be warm too.”

“Thank you, Carole. That’s really sweet of you,” he told her. Kurt was able to hear Carole from where he was upstairs, and he told Blaine that he still needed to make the pancakes. Blaine cleared his throat as a way to cover the laugh caused by Kurt’s response then continued, “Kurt seemed pretty adamant that I make pancakes for him though. But I’m hungry enough that I can guarantee that those waffles will not go to waste and they will get eaten.”

“So does that mean I can have some pancakes?” Finn wondered.

“Yeah, sure, I’ll make some for you too,” Blaine answered.

“Let me help you get started,” Burt said, getting up from the couch and following Blaine into the kitchen. Once they were alone, he waited for Blaine to start mixing ingredients then lowered his voice and gave Blaine a pointed look. “I’ve been wanting to ask you something, but I haven’t been able to get you alone to do so.”

Blaine held up a hand, cautioning Burt from continuing. “Before you say anything, I should warn you, Kurt can actually hear us right now. So, if this is something you don’t want him to overhear…”

“No, no, that’s fine,” Burt replied. “I just didn’t want Carole or Finn to overhear this.” Blaine nodded in acknowledgement, before Burt continued, “That story you told us the other night…about that kid from your old school that punched you? You said he went through the stuff in your room? And all he learned about was that you’re gay? He didn’t learn about…anything _else_ , did he? The problems you had at that school were _just_ due to your sexuality?”

“Oh! You’re wondering if he found out that I’m a werewolf?” Blaine checked. “No, he didn’t find anything in my room that would reveal that to him. I don’t keep any kind of diary or journal that mentions anything like that in it. And the only photos of me and/or my family and friends as wolves are kept in a photo album in a locked closet in my parents’ home office; not that anyone would be able to tell it was actually us in those pictures. So there was nothing he could have found in my bedroom to alert him of that. Though, I will say, that me being…what I am…is the _real_ reason that he broke his hand when he punched me; and I had to wear make up for a week to make it look like I had a swollen bruise on my jaw. But, luckily, his parents and the principal believed that he broke his hand because he didn’t know how to throw a proper punch.”

Burt nodded in relief. “Okay. If you don’t mind me asking, what did he find that made him realize you were gay? I mean, since you don’t have any kind of journals in your room.”

“When I told my brother that I was gay, he tried to show his support by buying me a stack of gay porno mags; even though I didn’t want or ask for them,” Blaine told him. “And _that’s_ what this kid found in my room. In my bottom nightstand drawer. Where I had hidden them underneath a few fashion magazines.”

“I walked right into that one,” Burt muttered. “But anyway! I also wanted to say ‘thank you’; for putting up with my parents yesterday – and for keeping Kurt in check, not letting him fly off the handle like he usually does. I know they’re not the easiest people to get along with and they were sort of pushing it with the passive-aggressive attitude and off-color comments. I appreciate you keeping a level head and remaining polite despite everything.”

“Honestly,” Blaine began, “I think that Kurt and I were probably keeping _each other_ in check yesterday. There were so many times where, if it wasn’t for Kurt, I probably would have done something I regret. Sometimes, when I get too angry – or _scared_ – I have a habit of letting parts of my wolf out. And please don’t take this the wrong way, but your parents _terrify_ me. If it wasn’t for Kurt keeping me calm and reassuring me through our bond…I don’t even want to think about it. Being polite and well-mannered is also a defense mechanism of mine. I was sort of raised on the ‘kill them with kindness’ ideology.” He shrugged, not sure what else to say.

Burt gave him a curious glance. “I guess that explains the so-called ‘spasm’ you had, when you dropped your drink. You were preventing your wolf from making himself known. I knew there had to be a reason for that – that it wasn’t just some random muscle contraction; but when Kurt didn’t seem too fazed by it, I figured it was nothing I needed to worry about.”

“Exactly,” he agreed.

“And I’m sorry about all the silver at the dinner table too,” Burt told him. “I forgot how much that affects you, how poisonous it can be. If I had remembered, I would have said something to Carole earlier, so you wouldn’t have had to have been so close to it.”

“It’s fine,” Blaine replied. “Telling Carole I am ‘allergic’ to silver doesn’t mean that _nobody_ can use silverware. That doesn’t really make sense. So, there wasn’t much more you could have done. But I am a little curious…if you know how severely silver affects us…why wasn’t Kurt told about it? He said he knew his mom was ‘allergic’ but didn’t realize it was actually _poisonous_ to us.”

“We didn’t want to scare him,” Burt replied. “We found out that silver didn’t have an effect on him when he was about two. We were at a friend’s wedding, and there was this silver centerpiece on the table. Little Kurt just reaches out, grabs hold of it, puts it in his mouth, and starts trying to eat it before anyone can stop him. Elizabeth freaked out. But nothing happened. He was fine. We figured if he wasn’t going to be affected by it, he didn’t need to be told all the gritty details of how bad it really was.” He shrugged apologetically before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

“There is one more thing I wanted to talk about,” Burt added. “Since Kurt’s not here to yell at me, I feel like I can ask…how is he,” he pointed up the ceiling, while motioning his head toward the stairs to indicate he was still talking about Kurt, “doing at Dalton? _Honestly_. I know he _says_ he’s fine…but he’d been telling me he was fine at McKinley for years when we all know that was a lie. And I know he can hear us, and you can hear him, but I want the _truth_ ; don’t cover for him because he’s telling you to.”

“In all honesty, Kurt’s actually doing really well at Dalton,” Blaine replied, sincerely. “He is not the biggest fan of our uniforms; he would much rather prefer the freedom to wear his own clothing. And sometimes he gets frustrated with the _rigidness_ of the school. But despite all that, and the fact that the curriculum is tougher than he’s used to, he honestly seems happy there. In fact, sometimes I think he actually _enjoys_ the fact that the classes are more challenging, as weird as that sounds. I think he got bored with the monotony of McKinley’s classes. And Kurt’s made a lot of new friends at Dalton too. I mean, our entire pack – which besides of the two of us includes five other boys – all go to Dalton; and we’re all Warblers together as well. Plus, he’s gotten friendly with some of the other Warblers and some of his classmates as well.

“I won’t lie and say the school is a paradise. There are, of course, some students and faculty that personally don’t accept homosexuality; but they keep their opinions to themselves due to the strict anti-bullying rules, and the anti-discrimination policies that Dalton enforces. They may give us a subconscious dirty look every once in a while though. But I guarantee you, other than a _minor_ situation with one of the Warblers when he first transferred, no one there is giving him a hard time. As much as I know he would try to hide it if they were, I would still know about it because of our bond; and I would put an end to it myself.”

“What minor situation?” Burt asked, suspiciously, preparing to get upset.

“One of the Warblers was a bit suspicious of Kurt’s transfer when it was revealed we would be competing against McKinley at Sectionals,” he answered. “He was worried Kurt might try to sabotage us so that the New Directions would win. He got over it rather quickly though; even apologized for his initial mistrust before the competition took place.”

Burt sighed in relief that it really was nothing major. “Alright, well, that’s really all I wanted to say, so I’ll let you finish making these pancakes for him now. Just…promise me something? Promise me you’ll keep me in the loop of whatever happens…and that you’ll take care of my boy.”

“Absolutely! I will do anything and everything within my power to keep him safe and happy, I _promise_ you that,” Blaine replied, seriously, voice full of conviction. “And of course I will make sure you stay informed of everything whenever possible.”

\---

When Kurt came downstairs for breakfast, Blaine presented him with a stack of pancakes, the waffles Carole had made for them, fruit salad, orange juice, and coffee. “Your breakfast, Monseigneur,” he said. Blaine watched as Kurt’s eyes scanned the contents of the table, nodding approvingly. “So…am I forgiven?”

“Hmm…” Kurt replied, tapping a finger to his lips as he pretended to think it over.

“Huh?” Finn chimed in, digging into his own plate of pancakes that Blaine provided him. He gave Blaine an angry scowl as he as he asked, “Forgiven for what? Did you do something to him? And what does mon-senior mean?”

Blaine put his hands up in a placating gesture, letting Finn know he didn’t need to get upset or overprotective. “ _Monseigneur_ ,” he corrected, stressing the proper pronunciation, “is a French word meaning ‘my lord’. I couldn’t remember how to say ‘your highness’ in French; and I was just trying to be silly by referring to him as royalty.” Turning toward Kurt he added, “For I am just a humble peasant begging forgiveness from my king for disturbing his slumber and requesting his presence in the company of others.”

Kurt cracked up laughing while Finn continued to look confused. “You are such a dork!” Kurt replied. “Let me taste these pancakes first before I decide if you are forgiven or not,” he teased.

“I don’t get it…” Finn said.

“He was upset because I woke him up then asked him to come downstairs, rather than let him stay in bed all day,” Blaine clarified. “I was told I needed to make these specific pancakes for him in order to earn his forgiveness.”

_**< <**Stay in bed, ha! **> >**_ Kurt replied, silently, pouring syrup on his breakfast. _**< <**You make it sound like I wanted to continue sleeping. I didn’t want sleep; I wanted sex, dammit. But these pancakes will have to do…for now. **> >**_

**_< <_** _I know you wanted sex, **> >**_ Blaine began, _**< <**and you will get it later, trust me on that. But I didn’t think you’d appreciate me telling your brother that’s what you wanted; especially when your parents are also within earshot. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Good point, **> >**_ he agreed.

“Oh, yeah, okay,” Finn replied. “That makes sense. I probably should have warned you about that. Kurt’s usually really grumpy in the morning when he first wakes up. One time I asked him to drive me to school before he was fully awake, and he _growled_ at me; like a full-on _snarling_ growl. It was scary, dude. I think you got off easy, man.”

“I don’t remember doing that,” Kurt said, looking contemplative. He then took a bite of his pancakes, moaning at the delectable flavor. “Mmm…these are _so_ good. You are _definitely_ forgiven.”

\---

Driving back to Westerville, Wednesday afternoon, Kurt suddenly started to get lightheaded. Blaine looked over at him in alarm. “Kurt? Baby? Are you okay? You feel… _fuzzy_.”

“I’m…” he began, shaking his head and rapidly blinking his eyes; like he was trying to clear away the haze clouding his thoughts.

“Maybe you should pull over,” Blaine told him.

“Yeah, good idea.” Instead of pulling over to the side of the highway, like Blaine expected, Kurt took the next exit; then he pulled into a parking lot of a small strip mall, parking in one of the available spaces.

“Sweetie, what’s wrong?” Blaine asked. “All I’m getting through our bond is static. It’s a little unsettling. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay; just a little lightheaded,” he said. “I just…” Kurt paused whatever he was about to say and stared out the window at the store in front of him. “That antiques store…”

“The antiques store?” Blaine questioned. “What about it?”

“I need to go inside,” Kurt replied, unbuckling his seatbelt.

“Um, okay,” Blaine said, confused, watching as Kurt hopped out of the car and began walking briskly toward the store. “I’m coming with you!” He grabbed the keys out of the ignition, then hurried to get out of the car, lock it, and catch up to Kurt – who was already halfway across the parking lot. Handing Kurt his keys as they entered the building, Blaine asked, “Okay; why are we inside an antiques store?”

“I don’t know yet,” Kurt replied, looking around at the different tables and shelves. “All I know is I need to be in here.” He slowly made his way through the store, not touching anything, just looking around, like he was trying to find something specific. “Over here,” he said, finally, walking over to a shelf of used books. Pointing up at one book in particular he told Blaine, “That. That is why we’re here.”

“A book?” he replied.

“Not just any book. _That_ book,” Kurt said, never taking his eyes off the book in question. “Can you get it down off the shelf for me? I don’t know why, but I don’t think I should touch it just yet.”

“You’re kind of scaring me here, Kurt,” Blaine told him. “But at the same time, I trust your instincts; especially after yesterday. It’s this one here, right?” He took the book of the shelf and showed it to Kurt for verification. The book was large and thick – about 15 inches tall, 12 inches wide, and 3 inches thick. The cracked leather of the hardcover book was solid brown and very plain looking with aging yellow pages. It had small gold letters stamped on the spine that read ‘CHRONICLES OF YESTERYEAR’, while the front of the book had no lettering or design of any kind. Kurt nodded, so Blaine continued, “Okay, now what?”

“Now we buy it and go home,” he replied.

“You don’t even want to look inside it first?” Blaine asked.

Kurt shook his head. “No need. That symbol on the spine is all I need to know.”

“What sym—oh!” he replied, having turned the book on its side. Near the base of the book’s spine was a golden-brown stamp of three triangles linked together in a knot. One triangle on top, two on the bottom. Inside each triangle was a symbol. The first was a spindle, the second was a globe with an unraveled scroll, and the third was a pair of shears. “That’s the symbol of the Moirai.”

“The what?” Kurt asked, confused.

“The Fates, Kurt,” he answered. “In Greek Mythology, the three Fates are called the Moirai. They are the same three Fates that are responsible for pairing us with our soulmates.” Glancing at the sticker on the back of the book, Blaine hesitantly added, “Kurt, this book costs _eighty_ dollars.”

“Doesn’t matter. I have to buy it,” he told Blaine, adamantly. “That book is the reason we’re in this store right now; it’s the reason my head felt like it was spinning earlier. And I have enough money in my bank account to pay for it. So, it’s okay.”

They turned to walk over toward the registers, when Kurt stopped again. He picked up another book off a nearby table – a pastry cookbook – turning it over in his hands a few times with a look of curiosity. He nodded to himself then continued to walk with Blaine, book still in his hand, over to the register to buy both items.

“What’s that?” Blaine asked, motioning toward the book in Kurt’s hand.

“Recipes?” he replied, voice lilting upward to make it sound like a question. Kurt shrugged then added, “It’s only three bucks.”

The woman at the register smiled at the boys as they placed their books on the counter. “Oh, you boys have a keen eye,” she told them, approvingly, as she rang up their purchases. “I love seeing young people genuinely interested in the older relics we sell. Most people your age come in here to find unique looking knick-knacks or things they can repurpose – stripping away all the charm and characteristics that make those items so wonderful.” Lifting the large, brown book Blaine had been carrying, she added, “And books like _this_ are a rare find. I just put it out on the shelf this morning; it’s over five hundred years old. It’s also written entirely in French though, so I’m not _too_ sure what it’s about. But from the pictures in it, I think it’s one of those ‘myths and legends’ books; you know the type? I hope whoever you are buying this for knows the language.”

“Oui madame. Je parle couramment le français,” Kurt replied.

“Oh! Well that’s wonderful! You did just say that you can read French, right?” she checked.

Kurt smiled as he chuckled and nodded. “Yes, that is precisely what I said.”

The woman then told him the total cost, watching as he swiped his debit card through the credit card reader. She bagged his items, put his receipt in the bag and handed the bag off to Blaine while Kurt fumbled around trying to get his card back in his wallet. The woman wished them a good day as they left the store.

When they got to the car, Kurt stopped and turned to Blaine. “Do you think…could you drive the rest of the way home?”

Blaine looked at him in shock, but quickly shook it off. “Yeah; yeah, of course I can.” He held out the bag for Kurt to take, but Kurt shook his head at him.

“Just put it in the back seat, please,” Kurt told him, unlocking the car then handing over his keys.

“Okay,” he agreed.

Once they were in the car, and Blaine had adjusted the seat and mirrors, he looked over at Kurt and once again asked him, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I am,” Kurt answered. “I swear. I’m not lightheaded anymore or anything. I’m just a little… _unnerved_ by what happened. But I promise I’m _fine_.”

“Do you actually _know_ what just happened?” Blaine asked, hesitantly, as he started the car and began to exit the parking lot.

“Not really,” he said. “And I think that’s part of why it’s so unnerving. But let’s go home and find out what the hell is in that book. Would you mind if I asked the pack to meet us at the house? I don’t know why, but I just suddenly had this feeling like they should be there when we open it.”

“Uh, yeah, go ahead and text them; tell them to meet us there and we’ll be home in about 25 minutes,” Blaine said. “I’m actually both really curious and really nervous to find out what’s in that book. I mean, the woman at the store said it was written entirely in French, and thinks it’s about _myths and legends_ , plus it has the Moirai symbol on it. And I find all of that a bit unsettling, considering not only the way you were drawn to it, but the fact that you are a French speaking werewolf/warlock hybrid.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Kurt agreed.

\---

Jeff’s SUV was already parked in the driveway when they arrived. As Blaine parked the car, the rest of the pack exited the other car and began to walk over to the pathway leading to the basement entrance.

“Whoa,” Nick muttered, as Kurt and Blaine exited Kurt’s car. “Kurt let you drive his car? Is everything okay?”

Blaine grabbed the bag with the books they just bought, as well as his and Kurt’s overnight and laptop bags, out of the back seat and started to walk up the pathway, while Kurt grabbed the cooler of Christmas leftovers Carole sent home with them and the bags of gifts they had received. “I’ll explain inside,” Blaine told him.

“Uh-oh; that can’t be good,” Nick replied.

Once everyone was inside the apartment, Blaine dropped their overnight bags by the hallway door, so he’d remember to take them to the laundry room later, then placed the bag of books on the coffee table in the living room, and the laptop bags on the floor under it.

“So, what’s going on?” Wes asked. “Why did you want all of us to come over?”

Blaine and Kurt shared a look then Kurt began to speak. “I was driving home, when suddenly I got extremely lightheaded. When Blaine asked me to pull over, I intended to pull off to the side of the road right away; but instead I kept driving on autopilot until I got to the next the exit then pulled into the closest parking lot. There was an antiques store in the strip mall there; and for some reason I felt compelled to go inside. We walked around for about a minute or so, then I saw that,” he pointed to the bag on the table. “I don’t know what’s in it exactly because we never even opened it. I had this very strong feeling like I wasn’t supposed to touch it; but I _needed_ to buy it and bring it home. The woman working there said she just put it on the shelf today, and she thinks it’s a myths and legends book; but she’s not sure because it’s written entirely in French. I just thought you guys should be here when we opened it. It felt important.”

“That’s kinda creepy,” Jeff said, cautiously.

“Um, okay, so should we look at it now? Or wait?” David asked.

Kurt looked at Blaine and asked, “Will you take it out of the bag?”

Blaine removed both books from the bag and placed them next to each other on the table.

“I’m guessing it’s not the cookbook?” Trent said.

“No…and that’s not exactly a cookbook,” Kurt replied.

“When I asked you in the store what you were buying you said ‘recipes’,” Blaine said, looking at Kurt for clarification.

“Well, it _is_ a recipe book…just not the kind you’re thinking of,” Kurt said. “The book has a glamour on it. To anyone that does not possess magic, it looks like a book of pastry recipes. To those that do have magic, it’s a book about potion making.” Shrugging he added, “I don’t know. I was curious; especially after our encounter with potions on Christmas. And it was cheap.”

“Wait, you encountered _potions_ on Christmas? How? Where?” David wondered. “Also, if you can see a potion book, then how do you know it looks like a cookbook about pastries to those without magic?”

“Long story short: my grandparents tried – _and failed_ – to drug Blaine; I’ll explain that mess later. But to answer your _other_ question: I can see both covers,” Kurt replied. “It’s like a lenticular picture. If you hold the book one way, you see the words ‘pastry recipes’ above a picture of cake batter being poured into a pan. If you hold it another way you see ‘potions recipes’ written above a picture of a mortar and pestle with herbs and essential oils in and surrounding it.”

“That’s kind of cool,” Trent said. He then hurried to clarify, “The part about seeing both covers of the book; not the part about trying to drug Blaine.”

“Yeah, I knew what you meant; but it’s not why we’re here,” Kurt said, staring at the other book. “Can someone open that for me?” Blaine silently agreed, then opened the cover of the book. “Turn to a page somewhere near the middle.”

“Uh…okay…” Blaine replied, nervously. He flipped to a spot near the middle of the book, while keeping a close eye on Kurt.

Kurt shook his head then began making hand gestures that resembled turning the pages of the book. So, Blaine continued to flip page by page, until Kurt suddenly cried out, “Stop!”

“Right here?” Blaine checked. “This is what you want to look at?”

“Yeah…” he said, staring at the book. “It’s all about white werewolves. Look.”

“I am looking, Kurt,” Blaine replied. “But, honey, I can’t read French all that well. I only took it for a semester. I can pick out a few words here and there, but I am far from fluent.”

“You don’t need to be able to read French to look at that photo…” Kurt told him, pointing to a picture of two werewolves in wolf form at the top of one of the pages. The two wolves in the photo were about equal in height. One of the wolves was completely white with bright blue eyes; the other was all-black – his eye color obstructed.

Blaine looked over at the photo Kurt was pointing to and gasped. “Those wolves… They almost… sort of look like… _us_ ,” he said. “Wait…does that caption say what I think it says? Or is my French worse than I thought?”

“It says: ‘A White Werewolf With His Alpha Mate’,” Kurt translated.

“Dude, that is freaky!” Jeff exclaimed.

“What does the rest of the page say?” Wes wondered.

“Hang on,” Kurt said. He started to silently mouth a few words, like he was reading to himself, but then he nodded and looked at Blaine. “Do me a favor? Place your left hand on the book – in the center. Palm down, fingers spread wide.”

“Um, okay? Why?” Blaine replied, as he moved to comply with Kurt’s request.

“So I can use magic to translate it to English,” Kurt told him. “I need to use you as a conduit, because I can’t touch the book just yet.”

Once Blaine’s left hand was where Kurt needed it to be, Kurt took Blaine’s right hand in his. Then using his bond with Blaine, Kurt channeled his magic through him. He focused on the book then whispered the word ‘translate’ in both French and English.

The book began to sparkle, like someone had dumped glitter on it, and the letters on the page started to rearrange themselves. Once the pages in front of them were fully translated, Kurt withdrew from Blaine, and allowed him to remove his hand from the book.

“There,” Kurt said. “Now the whole book is in English. At least for the next 24 hours anyway. Then it will automatically revert back to French.”

“Well, then I guess we better start reading!” David said.

“Hey, look at that,” Trent said, pointing to one of the paragraphs. “Seems like Wes was right. According to this book, all of the all-white werewolves had the ability to use Seigneur-commands. And if this photo and caption are correct, they can all do so while wolves too.”

“And over here it says that _all_ of them were the size of Alphas; and they _all_ had Alpha mates,” Nick said. “So, does that mean that even if Kurt wasn’t given an Alpha gene from his mom, that he’d still be the size of an Alpha? Or does it mean that all of the white werewolves possessed at least one Alpha gene?”

“I have no idea,” Blaine replied, while looking at the book in amazement.

“If this book isn’t going to be in English for very long, I gotta get pics now, so I can read this again later; to analyze it more closely,” Wes said. He took out his phone and began to photograph the pages of the book. When he reached over to turn the page, Kurt put a hand on his arm to stop him.

“Wait,” Kurt said. “Not yet. I need to…” He took a deep breath then slowly reached out toward the book.

“Kurt are you sure you want to do that?” Blaine asked, nervously.

“Yeah. I’m sure,” he replied. He tentatively placed a hand on the book then let out a small sigh of relief when nothing happened. Suddenly, he gasped loudly and sat up straighter, while his eyes rolled into the back of his head and his mouth dropped open.

“Kurt!” Blaine cried out.

Kurt lifted the hand not touching the book, held his arm out straight, and pointed his palm at the wall opposite them. A light emitted from Kurt’s palm and projected what looked like a movie onto the wall.

Wes hit the video record button on his phone, while everyone looked on with astonishment. Blaine didn’t take his eyes off of Kurt – constantly checking to make sure he was okay – until Trent began tapping him on the shoulder, telling him to look at where the light shooting out of Kurt’s hand was pointing.

The narration and dialogue of the video that Kurt was projecting from his hand used Kurt’s vocal cords and open mouth as it’s speaker, so that everyone could hear. The video itself seemed to be an origin story of the all-white werewolves.

                _The video explained how, sometime during the 8th century, a group of greedy European warlocks had decided they wanted to create a superior race of warlocks. Ones that had the strength, speed, agility, and heightened senses of a werewolf in its human form; but also had all the magic of a warlock. They decided to use werewolf DNA to accomplish this. However, the DNA needed to be magically modified, so that this new breed of warlocks would have none of the afflictions of a werewolf – meaning they would not be affected by the moon or have a wolf form. Yes, warlocks could use their magic to temporarily give themselves these strength and speed boosts; but they wanted to possess them naturally and permanently, so as to conserve their magic – making them more powerful than other warlocks._

                _The warlocks had tried several experiments, trying to magically splice their own DNA with those of a werewolf, but none of their experiments took for more than a few seconds at most. A few experiments showed potential for more, but they were unable to make any of them work how they wanted. The potential that they saw in those experiments helped the warlocks came up with another idea: if they could not_ be _a superior race of warlocks, they would give birth to one._

                _The warlocks wanted their new race to consist of the biggest, strongest, most powerful warlocks and werewolves around. So, they magically collected sperm and egg samples from a wide variety of Alpha werewolves; then collected sperm and egg samples from the most powerful warlocks they could find. They mixed and matched these samples in a variety of ways and used a magical form of in vitro fertilization on volunteer surrogates. Some of these surrogates were warlocks; others were werewolves that had lost their mates but were desperate for a child; and then there were others that were ordinary humans with no magical or supernatural attributes._

                _These surrogates agreed to live in an encampment created by the warlocks during their pregnancy. They would be monitored and taken care of; and would be provided with the best care for the health and safety of the unborn children. All of the surrogates were required to take a magically enforced vow of silence, rendering them unable to tell anyone about the encampment or about the experimental hybrid children. Once the child was born, the surrogates were given the option of staying at the encampment to act as a nanny; to become a surrogate for another hybrid child; or to leave the encampment and go back to their former lives. As an added precaution, any surrogate that chose to leave had their memories tampered with so that they could not remember anything about the encampment, its location, or the experiments that were conducted there. And to ensure that there was no type of ‘supernatural bonding’ between parent and child – especially when it came to the werewolf surrogates – the warlocks had made sure that_ none _of the surrogates were biologically related to the child they were carrying and would eventually give birth to._

                _Thanks to the potential they had seen from their earlier failed experimentations, they were fully satisfied that all of the kinks had been worked out and that at least_ one _of the combinations in their current experiments would work, providing them with the key to creating a superior race of warlocks. So, during the gestation period – when they weren’t as needed in the encampments – a few of these warlocks would travel to other nearby cities and countries collecting more genetic ‘donations’, as well as setting up new encampments for more surrogates, so that they could continue performing their experimental artificial insemination to increase the potential population of their superior warlocks._

                _When the first of the hybrid children were born, they were monitored very closely. The warlocks were happy to note that these children did not seem to be affected by the moon at all; and that their strength and reflexes were stronger than that of an average human of their age and size. However, they were confused and a little angry when_ inspection _revealed these children did not possess any magic. Some of the werewolf surrogates, tried to cull their fears by alerting the warlocks that they were able to smell magic on the children._

                _As the children got older, and their magical abilities had yet to materialize, the warlocks began rounding up more sperm and egg donations, and a new set of surrogates; this time doing further experimentations on their genetic samples before placing the fertilized eggs into their surrogates._

                _As the hybrid children’s thirteenth year approached, the warlocks once again took a keen interest in them. They were hoping that since that is the time when a warlock comes into their full power, that that meant these children would finally be able to use the magic that the werewolf surrogates swore the children possessed._

                _Instead of gaining magical ability, these children were having bizarre reactions to the full moon. They would spend from sunrise to sunrise on the day/evening of a full moon out wandering around in the woods behind the encampment – completely naked – while masturbating; leaving behind a physical trail of their scent. The warlocks brushed off the odd behavior, because – while unusual – it was still not werewolf-like in nature; and the children always returned home around sunrise._

                _It wasn’t until young adult Alpha werewolves – that had only just recently matured into adulthood by a few months – began showing up, lured in by the scent of the hybrid’s pheromones, that the warlocks became concerned. One by one, these Alphas would turn up at the encampment either on the morning of a full moon, or early in the evening the day before, to claim one of the hybrids as their mate; refusing to leave without them. Once the hybrid had physical contact with the werewolf, they were seemingly enraptured by the werewolf and wanted nothing more than for the werewolf to transform, bite their neck, and have their way with them._

                _Mere hours after the werewolf claimed their hybrid, the hybrid would then transform into a pure white wolf. Once the hybrid had shifted into a wolf they had taken off with their new mate. When some of the hybrids had returned to visit a few days later, the warlocks at first had turned their noses up at them – wanting nothing further to do with them – until they realized that the hybrid children could now use magic; and that the hybrids were a lot faster, stronger, more agile, and their senses were even more heightened and sharper than before. And because the hybrids still did not register as warlocks upon inspection – even after showing they were fully capable of using powerful magic – that meant they would be able to take their enemies by surprise with the strength and skill of their magic, defeating them effortlessly. The hybrid children were seemingly everything that the warlocks had been aiming for in the experiments for a superior race._

                _Realizing that their experiments had finally worked, they hurried to replicate their experiments and create more hybrid children – this time on much a larger scale, with even more participants. They were so busy traveling around Europe, collecting genetic samples, and creating encampments for the surrogates to live and be monitored at that they didn’t realize these hybrid children had also gained more werewolf traits as well – traits that the warlocks had deemed undesirable. When the hybrid children had first shown back up at the encampments after leaving with their soulmates for a few days, the warlocks were more concerned with testing their magical abilities and looking for the desirable werewolf qualities that had been the purpose of their experiments, that they never thought to check for other werewolf traits. They had just assumed that the transformation that took place after the hybrid had mated had been a one-time thing; a minor side-effect that could be overlooked. It was_ years _before they made their way back home and noticed that their hybrid children were slaves to the moon; forced to shift into a wolf, unable to use magic in wolf form, and exhibiting copious amounts of animalistic behaviors – in and out of wolf form. It was also noticed that even though the hybrids could not use magic while in their wolf form, they were somehow also_ resistant _against magic in that form as well; rendering all of the warlocks attempts to gain control over these hybrids futile._

                _The warlocks became furious that all of their efforts to create a superior race of warlocks had backfired; and that they had instead created a superior breed of werewolves. They ceased all further experimentations from that point forward. Since they could not control – nor could they destroy – the hybrids they had already created, they did the only other thing they could think of: they banded together to create a powerful curse that would render_ every _all-white werewolf in existence to be sterile and unable to reproduce. And to ensure that these experimentations would never be repeated, they cursed all non-warlocks the entire world over to forget the origins of the white werewolves; to ignore and disregard any and all signs of any magic they possessed; all while spreading a cautionary tale to other warlocks about the deceitfulness of the greedy werewolves who wanted to steal the warlocks’ magic and power for their own. That way, it was only a matter of time before all of the white werewolves died out, and the hybrids were no more – never to be seen or heard from again._

The light emitting from Kurt’s hand flickered, then the movie disappeared off the wall. Kurt gasped for air again, then slumped down on the couch into Blaine’s side.

“Kurt? Baby? Can you hear me?” Blaine asked, softly, while gently cradling his mate. Kurt groaned, but nodded at Blaine. “You okay, sweetheart?”

“I think so. I have a killer headache, but other than that I’m okay. What the hell just happened?” he asked, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples.

“You turned into a human movie projector,” Jeff replied.

“What?” Kurt asked, confused.

“Your hand lit up and projected a video onto the wall,” Blaine told him. “The audio track for the video used your mouth as a speaker.”

“Seriously?” Kurt asked. The rest of the pack all confirmed that it had in fact happened, so Kurt continued, “So, all of you could see and hear that story about warlocks creating hybrid children that turned out to be all-white werewolves too? It wasn’t just playing in my head?”

“No, honey. We all saw it too,” Blaine replied.

“So, according to that…what are we calling it? A video?” David began. “Well, according to _that_ , I guess, in a way, warlocks actually _are_ responsible for the extinction of the all-white werewolves. Just not in the way that most werewolves suspect.”

“And I think that video just showed us how the myth that says, ‘if a person gets bitten by a werewolf, they will turn into one’, came to be as well,” Trent added. “These hybrids who had never had a wolf form before got bitten by their soulmate during the mating process then a few hours later shifted into a wolf themselves. I had never understood that myth before, since we all know that ‘turning’ someone is impossible, and you have to be _born_ a werewolf. But after seeing that, the myth makes sense now.”

“So, wait,” Nick said. “ _All_ of the all-white werewolves were werewolf/warlock hybrids? And it was just a _coincidence_ that they all happened to be completely white? Or…?”

“Not a coincidence. Magic,” Kurt said. “Magic neutralizes the pigmentation of a werewolf’s fur; causes something _similar_ to albinism. It doesn’t affect their hair or skin color in human form though because warlocks that possess magic are _supposed_ to be human. That’s why hybrids can’t use their magic when they are in their wolf forms; because warlock magic can only work when used by a human – or someone that _appears_ human.”

“How do you know that?” Wes asked. “That wasn’t in the video we just saw.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Kurt agreed. “But touching that book imparted me with more knowledge and information than what was in that video…story…thing.”

“Like what?” Wes wondered.

“I don’t know,” Kurt said, confused. “It’s like the information is _there_ in my head – and I _know_ it’s there – but I don’t have _access_ to it. I was only able to tell you about magic affecting the pigmentation of a werewolf’s fur because Nick asked the question. So, I guess, the only way to access it, is if I _need_ to know it for some reason? Maybe? I’m not sure.”

“Oh…” Wes replied, disappointed.

“Okay, so, going by what we’ve read in this book so far, and the video thing that Kurt projected, we know that _all_ of the all-white werewolves had an Alpha parent and an Alpha mate,” Jeff began. “We also know that all of them were the size of an Alpha and were capable of using Seigneur-commands too. But we don’t know how or why.”

“The story we all saw,” Kurt started, “said that the warlocks specifically chose to use only Alphas for their experiments because they wanted the biggest, strongest, and fastest of werewolves. They viewed Alphas as being superior to other werewolves because of the power they held – in both their physical size and stamina, and their ability to control their pack. The warlocks wanted their new race to have those same leadership capabilities, respect, dominance, and durability that they saw Alphas demonstrate.

“But what the video _didn’t_ tell us, is that their experiments never would have worked with any other werewolf classification. Alphas have a specific gene not found in any other werewolf class – the one that allows them to give pack commands – that allows magic to bond to it. Without that gene, those hybrid children would have met the same fate as any non-magical hybrid; they would have died in the womb or shortly thereafter. All the other experimental genetic combinations they tried only put more emphasis on certain traits – strength, speed, agility; or it altered the hybrids’ human appearance – hair and eye color, shape of their facial features; none of it made any _real_ difference. Those warlocks stumbled onto the right solution by using the wrong formula.

“As for why the hybrids all had an Alpha mate… the ‘unknown’ aka ‘Monseigneur’ classification of a white werewolf is only compatible with that of an Alpha; in the same way that an Omega can _only_ mate with an Alpha or a Beta; or a Beta can _only_ mate with a Delta or an Omega. White wolves _require_ a mate than can provide actual dominance; which normally would mean an Alpha or a Beta, but for some reason, a Beta isn’t equipped to be able to handle the dominance _from_ a white wolf; an Alpha, oddly enough, can. The Monseigneur classification and Delta classification have the exact same scent because it’s a scent that Alphas are comfortable with – and because our ability to switch between dominant and submissive personas at any given time resembles that of a Delta’s ability to _act_ dominant or submissive at will.

“Also, white wolves require an Alpha mate because they would not have been accepted by any pack if they were mated to anyone else. And due to their occasional submissive behaviors and tendencies, they aren’t able to _lead_ a pack on their own either; they would have been outcasts. Their ability to use Seigneur-commands would make them a threat to Alphas everywhere. Being mated to an Alpha though…it would mean acceptance and respect within their individual packs. Their Alpha mates would not see them as a threat – as someone trying to undermine them and rally for mutiny – they would see them as a partner and an ally.

“The size of a white wolf is something we already know the answer to. Their one classification gene passed down from their werewolf parent, plus the one it ‘borrows’ from their mate, combine to determine their size. Whether or not they are bigger or smaller than their Alpha mate depends on their human size. My wolf is taller than Blaine’s because my human form is taller than Blaine’s. If he was taller than me in human form, than his wolf would be taller than mine; but my wolf would still be taller than all of you since my genes are mimicking that of an Alpha.

“The ability to use Seigneur-commands comes from the fact that a hybrid’s magic is bonded to the Alpha gene that allows them to command pack. Usually a werewolf needs to have two Alpha classification genes for the command gene to function; otherwise it remains dormant. But because that’s the gene where the warlock magic is bonded, white werewolves are able to _simulate_ those Alpha-commands. They work differently than an actual Alpha-command because magic is filling in the blanks that a second Alpha gene usually provides; it’s _guessing_ at what it’s supposed to be doing because it thinks the gene is supposed to be operational. But because of the hybrid’s soul-bond with an Alpha, it knows that the Alpha is in charge of the pack, and therefore yields control when the pack Alpha gives a conflicting command, and why a hybrid can’t override any command given by the pack Alpha,” he explained.

“Oh! So, magic being bonded to the command gene and filling in the blanks of a secondary gene must be why you can give commands that are understood and followed while in wolf form when an Alpha can’t; because your magic thinks that’s how it’s supposed to work,” Nick said, nodding in realization and understanding. He then paused and got a confused look on his face before hesitantly adding, “Except…if that’s the case, you said your magic only works when you’re in human form. So, how can magic cause your command gene to function when you’re a wolf?”

“The ability to command as a wolf _only_ works during a full moon,” Kurt replied. “Because the full moon _forces_ us to shift, even if we don’t want to; and magic can somehow tell the difference between a voluntary shift and an involuntary one. When I shift without a full moon, I am _choosing_ not to be human; therefore temporarily giving up my magic to take on a wolf form. But when the moon forces me to shift, that choice is taken away from me; so my magic is still accessible in limited quantities.”

“When you say your magic is still accessible,” Blaine began, “do you mean you can actually perform magic as a wolf?”

“ _Only_ during a full moon; and nothing like what I’m capable of doing as a human, but yes,” Kurt confirmed. “Very minor acts of magic that don’t require spoken word, or specific hand gestures, or anything similar that would require me to be in a human body to perform.”

“Okay… One more question,” Wes began. “Did that book happen to clue you in to why you couldn’t use your commands until last week? Was it just that you didn’t know _how_ to give them? Or was there another reason?”

Kurt nodded at him. “The waxing gibbous moon.” He saw the confused looks on his packmates’ faces and elaborated, “My werewolf genes had to be exposed to all eight phases of the moon – new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent – before the command function would work. Sort of like how an Alpha’s command function won’t work until they reach sixteen years of age. My werewolf genes were not fully stabilized until the night of the full moon, so it wasn’t until last Monday night when the waxing gibbous moon began that my wolf had experienced all eight phases. And the first unintentional command I issued took place the next afternoon.”

“Wow… you really do have a lot more information in your head than what we saw and heard from that story thing, huh?” Trent said, once Kurt had explained everything.

“Yeah, I guess so,” he agreed.

“I wonder how touching that book was able to give you all that knowledge if none of it is actually written in the book itself?” Nick said.

“The book was written by werewolves; a collection of stories they’ve been told by their ancestors that supposedly lived in packs with the white werewolves,” Kurt began. “A few of them noticed that the stories seemed to change slightly through the generations or were different based on who was telling them. So they wanted to write down everything they knew – all the different versions of the stories they’d been told – before they were forgotten, or the stories changed entirely. Same for all the other stories that are not related to the white werewolves that are told in this book.

“Anyway, about a century after it was written, a warlock found it and cast a spell on it. He was a direct descendant of one of the original warlocks that conducted the experiments, and thus knew the whole story of what actually happened. He didn’t agree with what they had done, or like that the truth was being kept from werewolves. But he was under a blood oath that prevented him from explaining it to anyone. He enchanted the book so that any werewolf who had a blood-tie to a white wolf would be able to unlock the spell with a single touch. The spell was designed to show the actual origin story, as well as answer questions related to the white werewolves – questions even he didn’t have the answers to.”

“But if all of the white werewolves died out after they were _sterilized_ , how could there be anyone with a blood-tie to one?” Blaine wondered. “They couldn’t produce any offspring. And that book wasn’t even written until at least 500 years after the last white wolf was seen.”

“The werewolf sperm and egg donors,” Kurt replied. “After giving the warlocks their genetic samples for the hybrid experiments, most of them went on to have families with their soulmates. So there were full-blooded werewolf half-siblings that produced children, then grandchildren, great-grandchildren. Those descendants are the ones the spell was targeting.”

“Does that mean you are also biologically related to a white werewolf?” Trent asked. “Or did the spell work because you _are_ a white werewolf?”

“I have no idea,” Kurt told him.

“And considering that you’re an actual hybrid,” Blaine began, “it’s possible that, if you are a descendant of a white wolf, it may not be the werewolf parent that is your ancestor. You could be related to one of the warlocks that donated their genetic samples.”

“Maybe,” Kurt agreed. “And if I am, that might explain why grandmother has such a strong distrust of werewolves. After all, the story that video thing showed us said that warlocks still remember the ‘truth’ about the existence of white werewolves.”

David looked around the room at everyone. “My question is: what do we do with this information? It’s not like we can tell anyone; can we? I mean, if word got out, I think it might actually do more harm than good.”

“I think David’s right,” Blaine agreed. “There is already too much animosity between werewolves and warlocks. This will just add fuel to that fire – on _both_ sides. It might also change people’s perceptions of white werewolves in general. Finding out that every all-white werewolf has warlock blood and can use magic…they may go from revered to reviled. We can’t risk that.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he glanced around at the rest of his pack. Using his Alpha-voice he continued, “The information we learned from this book, the video Kurt showed us, and the discussion afterwards does _not_ leave this pack. We tell _no one_ about the things we’ve discovered about the origins of white werewolves, or the warlocks’ role in their appearance and disappearance. Understood?”

“Yes, Alpha,” everyone replied in unison.

Blaine turned to Kurt then softly asked him, “Baby, I need you to give me the same command I just gave you and the pack. That way I won’t be able to accidentally tell anyone anything – not that I think I will, but just to be safe.”

Kurt agreed and gave Blaine the command.

“I guess that means I should delete the video I took of that movie thing that Kurt showed us,” Wes said.

“No…” Kurt told him, earning confused looks from everyone. “I’ve got a better idea. Can I see your phone?” He held out his hand expectantly and waited for Wes to hand the device over. Once Kurt had Wes’s phone, he located the file, then held the phone between both of his palms while quietly reciting an encryption spell. When he finished, he handed the phone back to Wes. “I encrypted the file so that only members of this pack can view it. Just in case we ever need it again; you guys do still have soulmates out there after all. Showing them that once they join our pack might be easier than explaining everything to them. The photos of the book don’t mention warlocks at all, so I left those alone.”

“Okay, so, if we’re not going to be talking about… _that_ …anymore,” Jeff said, pointing to the book on the coffee table while looking at Blaine, “then I want to go back to something that Kurt mentioned earlier. His grandparents tried to _drug_ you!?”

Both Kurt and Blaine groaned as they recalled the incident. They shared a look with one another, then Blaine motioned to Kurt to explain. Kurt let out a heavy sigh then launched into an explanation of what had happened over Christmas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> art for this chapter can be found here: <https://kiwiwritesstuff.tumblr.com/post/182406911784/spoiler-ish-fan-art-photos-for-chapter-8-of-echoes>


	9. Chapter 9

Sitting in their living room after breakfast, Kurt and Blaine were looking through the book they had bought at the antiques store yesterday, curious to find out what else was written in it when the intercom buzzer rang, startling them. Kurt quickly closed the book then rushed to put it away in their bedroom while Blaine got up to answer the door.

“Hey, little brother!” Cooper exclaimed, as Blaine opened the door. “You and Kurt busy?”

“Uh, no, not really. Why?” he asked, letting Cooper in.

Cooper took a seat on the couch, just as Kurt walked back into the room. “I thought I could hang out with you guys for a few hours, if you don’t mind. Catch up on everything in your life while learning more about my new little brother. You know, get in some quality family bonding.”

“That sounds like fun,” Blaine agreed. “But what about Caitlin? Doesn’t she want to join us?”

“She went shopping with mom to pick out some design stuff for the house her and dad are flipping,” Cooper replied. “And dad is already at the project site doing some maintenance work or something.”

“Ah, so you came down here because you were _bored_ ,” Blaine said, nodding.

“Just because I chose to visit and hang out with you while everyone else was out of the house, doesn’t mean that’s the _only_ reason I’m visiting you right now,” Cooper defended himself.

“Okay, okay,” Blaine relented, chuckling. “So, did you have any specific plans in mind? Or did you want to leave the decision making up to us?”

“Well…” Cooper began, “I had a few ideas, but I thought we should all decide together? Like, maybe we could start by just talking for bit to catch up on everything? Then maybe play some board games? Or video games? Go sledding? Build a snowman? Snowball fight? Watch movies? Sing songs and create dance routines for them? I don’t know. Whatever you guys want to do. As long as we stay within Westerville, so I’m not too far away from Caity. Considering her and mom are driving all over the state to do their shopping, I don’t want to accidentally drive in the wrong the direction and create even more distance between us.”

“Playing some games _indoors_ might be fun,” Kurt said. “I’m really not in the mood to go outside to play in the snow right now. Besides, most of the snow that we got over the weekend already melted. As far as board games go, we have a ton of them in that closet. And Blaine just bought a new karaoke game for his Xbox too.”

“Yeah,” Blaine agreed. “We definitely don’t have the right snow conditions for sledding; and you always cheat at snowball fights. But I think some board games or video games would be really fun.”

“I do not cheat,” Cooper argued.

“Okay, Coop; whatever you say,” Blaine replied, sarcastically, while rolling his eyes at his older brother.

Cooper stuck his tongue out at Blaine in response then walked over to the closet to pick out a game.

\---

Blaine, Kurt, and Cooper talked about school, the Warblers, Blaine’s pack, Cooper’s life in L.A., and other various topics while they played their board games. After playing a few games, as well as some karaoke, the three boys began to get hungry. “I’m starving, but I don’t feel like cooking. So, who’s making lunch?” Kurt asked.

“Why don’t we just go out to eat?” Blaine suggested. “Unless you’d rather order in?”

“You know where I haven’t gone in _forever_?” Cooper replied. “First Class Grill. Wanna go there? I’ll pay.”

“Well, if you’re paying, then I’m in,” Blaine told him. “Kurt? What about you?”

“I’ve never heard of that place before,” Kurt replied. “I’m assuming they serve a lot of grilled items? But is the food any good?”

Cooper had a scandalized look on his face as he loudly gasped in an overdramatic fashion. “Blainey! I’m disappointed in you. Not only have you not taken your mate to First Class yet, but you haven’t even _mentioned_ it to him? What kind of soulmate are you?” Turning his attention to Kurt, he added, “The food there is _amazing_. And, yes, most of it is grilled, but they do have some other things as well. They even have a vegetarian menu. It’s got a really casual, laid back atmosphere too. Trust me; you’ll _love_ the place.”

“Alright,” Kurt agreed. “Sounds good. Let’s go there.”

“I guess I’m driving?” Blaine checked.

“Yup!” Cooper told him. “I’m just gonna check with Caitlin first. See if she’s almost done shopping with mom or if she’s eaten anything yet.”

The text reply from Caitlin said that she and Pam already stopped off for lunch about 20 minutes ago; and they still had a few more stores they needed to check out before they’d be done. So, the boys all piled into Blaine’s car and took off for the restaurant.

\---

After the boys had received their food, Cooper attempted some casual small talk while they ate. “So, uh,” he began, “the two of you are going to spend New Year’s with Kurt’s dad?”

“We are,” Blaine answered, nodding. “Some of Kurt’s friends from his old school want to spend some time with him while he’s visiting; so we’re going up there on Sunday morning. That way they can have a whole day together. Then we’ll spend the holiday with Burt; and come home Tuesday afternoon. Why do you ask? Because you seem sort of nervous for some reason.”

“Would you mind if Caitlin and I spend New Year’s out at the cabin?” Cooper asked. “Mom and dad are going to some fancy party with their friends and I thought the cabin might be more fun than being at their house alone.”

“You’re asking me for permission to stay in your own cabin?” Blaine asked, confused.

Cooper gave his brother a curious look. “Is it really _my_ cabin though; if _you_ own the entire campsite?”

“Coop…” Blaine sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry about that, alright? I just don’t like having my authority challenged. And when Caitlin tried to pull rank on me by saying that she had more of a right to my land than I did, I snapped. Yes, the campsite _is_ mine. But that is still _your_ cabin. Just like the southern cabin is still mom and dad’s. And if you want to stay there when you’re in town then go right ahead – _especially_ if I’m not using the campgrounds for anything at that time. All I ask is that you stay out of _my_ cabin, and that you pick up after yourselves before you leave.”

“Will do, little brother,” Cooper agreed.

“Do I even want to know what you’re referring to?” Kurt asked Blaine. “About snapping because Caitlin tried to pull rank?”

“No,” Blaine replied, shaking his head.

“You didn’t hear that argument?” Cooper asked, confused. “After you left the cabin the other day?”

“Oh, I, uh, was out of range,” Kurt replied. “I wanted to be alone with my thoughts, so I took off deeper into the woods until I couldn’t hear you guys anymore.”

Cooper nodded. “Ah, that makes sense. For some reason I thought you had stayed close by. But now that I think of it, I didn’t hear you at all either, so…”

“So,” Blaine began, quickly shifting the topic back to New Year’s plans, “you want to go the cabin because you don’t want to be alone at mom and dad’s?”

“Yes and no,” Cooper said, hesitantly. “I want to go to the cabin because of the peacefulness, the solitude, the lack of neighbors shooting off fireworks… Also, I was thinking I might propose to her; and it would be nice if we were in a place where we could celebrate as _ourselves_ – without worrying about anyone seeing us, if you know what I mean.” He cast a glance around the restaurant checking for eavesdroppers.

“You’re going to propose!?” Blaine replied, excitedly. “I’m so happy for you! Did you buy a ring already?”

“Calm down, Blainey,” Cooper answered, laughing. “I went to the jewelers this morning with dad before he left for work. He helped me pick out – and pay for – a ring. He’s holding on to it for me, so Caity doesn’t find it. I figured it was about time, you know?”

“Yeah,” Blaine agreed. “The two of you have been together for almost 7 years. And you’ve already had a Unification Ceremony. It’s about time you started getting all the benefits of a legal marriage too; you know, since the government doesn’t recognize the significance of your relationship otherwise.”

“What’s a Unification Ceremony?” Kurt asked, quietly.

Cooper gave Kurt a quizzical stare, while Blaine explained, “It’s the proper name of that official bonding ceremony that your mom mentioned to you.” Silently, he added, _**< <**If you want, I can give you more details about it later; when we’re alone. **> >**_

Kurt nodded in response to the silent question, while verbally replying, “Oh, that. Okay, I just never heard it called that before. But I know what you’re talking about.”

“Phew, that’s a relief,” Cooper said. “I was gonna say… even if you did grow up sort of… _sheltered_ , your parents should have at least told you about _that_. I mean, just because you’re…special, doesn’t mean you wouldn’t have a soulmate, you know?”

“Yeah, I know,” Kurt replied.

“So, how’s the food?” Cooper asked, changing the subject. “Awesome, right?”

“Yes. It’s _very_ good actually,” Kurt agreed. “Blaine and I will definitely have to come back here again.”

\---

At home later that evening, after Cooper went back upstairs to spend time with Caitlin, Kurt decided to ask Blaine to explain more about the Unification Ceremony. “Okay, why did Cooper seem scandalized that I’d never heard of a Unification Ceremony?” Kurt asked. “I know you said it’s the proper name of the bonding ceremony thing my mom was supposed to have before her soulmate died; but what does it entail exactly?”

“Cooper seemed scandalized when you said you’d never been to First Class Grill too, so I wouldn’t read too much into his reaction,” Blaine said. “But, uh, a Unification Ceremony is a very sacred ritual between soulmates,” he continued. “Stories get told to us while we’re growing up about the beauty and significance of Unification Ceremonies, as something we should look forward to when we’re older. Similar to how human children are told about weddings and marriage. Because basically, I guess, in a way it’s the werewolf version of a wedding. But it’s also _more_ than that. It enhances your bond with your soulmate; connects you with them on a much _deeper_ level. Like… you know how we can feel each other’s emotions right now, but we can’t always understand what we’re feeling or why? I mean, sometimes I’ll ask you if you’re okay because I can’t fully process what you’re feeling; I can only get fragments of it – unless we’re actively using our bond to feel each other more deeply. Well, after you go through a Unification Ceremony, you’d not only be able to feel and understand those emotions more clearly, even when you’re not actively using your bond, but you’d sometimes even mistake those feelings as your own – that’s how in tune you would be with your mate’s emotions. Like at the cabin; when Cooper could feel Caitlin’s jealousy and reacted to you accordingly. It’s sort of hard to describe, so I don’t even know if I’m making sense right now.”

“I think I understand what you’re saying,” Kurt told him. “But…if this is basically like a wedding…then does that mean my mom was going to get pseudo-married to her soulmate before she even mated with him?”

“Not exactly,” Blaine replied. “The couple _needs_ to have a soul-bond _before_ the ceremony takes place. So, they were probably going to mate and then perform the ceremony afterwards. Although, it is extremely unusual to have a Unification Ceremony so soon after mating. But, then again, your mom and her soulmate would have known each other for almost two years by then too; which is _also_ extremely unusual since we almost always mate with our soulmates right away.”

“Okay; I guess that makes sense,” Kurt said. “So, how does this differ from a human wedding? Other than the enhancement of a soul-bond.”

“The first major difference is the dress code,” he began, hesitantly. “Everyone – including guests – will be naked; because the ceremony is _always_ performed on the day of a full moon – just before the moon rises. It doesn’t conclude until after the moon is full, so presumably everyone will have been forced to shift during the ceremony; hence the need for the lack of clothing.

“Instead of standing at an alter in front of a room full of people, the couple’s current pack and immediate family members all link arms and form a circle around the couple as they recite their vows _while mating_. Usually the ceremony is officiated by the pack Alpha; but if the Alpha is the one being unified, the second in command officiates.”

“Hold up…they mate in front of everyone?” Kurt asked, cutting him off. When Blaine nodded, he followed up by asking, “Human form or wolf form?”

“Both, actually,” Blaine told him. “It starts in human form, so they can audibly speak the first half of their vows; but then they shift when the moon rises, and share the second half of their vows with Fate and with each other – telepathically.”

“Wait a second…they shift _while_ having sex? Is that possible?” Kurt asked.

“It’s definitely possible,” Blaine replied, smirking. “Do you not remember Saturday? When we arrived at the cabin? I shifted the entire lower half of my body while I was inside of you because you wanted to feel my wolf’s knot. Shifting during mating is absolutely possible.”

“Yeah, okay, I guess you’re right,” Kurt agreed. “So, basically, a Unification Ceremony is a naked wedding that starts as human and ends as wolf?”

“I guess?” Blaine answered. “But you’re not just reciting vows. You and your soulmate have to actually be connected with your bond the entire ceremony. And I mean, like, _deeply_ connected – not just connected on the periphery like we are right now. I’m talking, like, even deeper than when you used our bond to calibrate your sensory processing. You connect in mind, body, and soul until you can no longer tell where you stop, and your mate begins. As soon as you finish reciting the vows, you and your mate will both climax then lead a chorus of howls to signify the completion of your unification.”

“How can you be certain that you’ll climax as soon as the vows end?” Kurt wondered. “What happens if you cum early? Or you finish your vows, but haven’t cum yet?”

“Alpha-commands,” Blaine answered. “That’s why the pack Alpha officiates the ceremony. So they can order you not to cum until the vows are complete. And before you ask, if the pack Alpha is the one being unified, then they will still be the one that gives the command. Obviously, their mate will be forced to obey, but they will also obey the command because of how deeply they are connected with their mate during the ceremony. Like I said, you temporarily become one with your mate. If they are restricted by orders, you will be too.”

“Huh…okay,” Kurt replied, nodding. He was thinking of another question to ask when Blaine’s phone rang.

Blaine looked at the caller ID and blinked in surprise. “It’s Sam,” he told Kurt.

“Sam Evans?” Kurt asked, slightly confused.

Blaine nodded in reply as he accepted the call. “Hello?”

“Hi, is this Blaine? It’s Sam. Kurt’s friend,” Sam replied.

“Yeah, Sam, it’s me,” Blaine told him. “What’s up?”

“Oh, hey. Sorry, you sound different on the phone,” Sam said. “So, I just heard from Finn that Kurt’s coming back to Lima for New Year’s. He said that the girls from glee club are planning this whole ‘girls plus Kurt’ day on Sunday. So, it got me thinking…you’d have to come to Lima with him, right? ’Cause of your bond? And the way Finn was talking made it seem like you weren’t gonna be hanging out with them, even though he said you’d be spending New Year’s Eve at his house. So, I guess I was just wondering if you had any plans? Or if you maybe wanted to hang out at my house while Kurt is with the girls?”

“Really?” Blaine asked, enthusiastically. “That’s really thoughtful of you. Yeah, Sam, I’d love to hang out with you on Sunday. The only plans I had were: sitting alone in my motel room playing video games; so this sounds _way_ better.”

“Motel room? Why do you need a motel room?” Sam asked. “I thought you and Kurt were staying at his dad’s house?”

“My mom rented out a room at the motel down the street from Kurt’s dad, just in case Carole or Finn had any issues with me sleeping over,” Blaine told him. “Or if I maybe needed someplace to hang out for a few hours while Kurt spent some time alone with his family and friends. It would probably seem weird to them if I show up alone to hang out at their house while Kurt is out with his friends. You know, since they’re all human; and neither Carole nor Finn know anything about werewolves or soul-bonds.”

“Oh, right,” Sam replied. “Yeah, that makes sense. But hey, you can come play video games at my house instead. Or we could go see a movie or something. Although…would you mind if my little brother and sister joined us for a while? I promised my parents I’d babysit for a few hours.”

“I don’t mind at all,” Blaine said. “I love kids. Taking them to see a movie sounds like fun.”

“Oh, well, I know I suggested a movie, but I don’t know if it’s a good idea to bring Stevie and Stacey with us,” Sam started, hesitantly. “Stacey has _really_ sensitive hearing, and sometimes the surround sound in the theater hurts her ears; especially if there’s explosions, or loud fight scenes, or something. Last time we took her to see a movie at the theater, she ended up in a ball on the floor crying because her ears hurt so bad.”

“I can help with that,” Kurt replied, inserting himself into their conversation.

“Was that Kurt?” Sam asked. “How can he help?”

“Yeah, that’s Kurt; but I’m not sure what he means…” Blaine replied, slowly, giving Kurt a quizzical look, wondering what he was doing.

Kurt waved off the look and answered, “I used to have really sensitive hearing too; it’s better now because of my bond with Blaine. But the point is, I know where to get some reusable earplugs that will help reduce the noise to a much more tolerable level – even for a werewolf.”

“Really? Dude, that’s awesome!” Sam said. “Because we’ve tried _everything_. Nothing seems to help her. Where did you get your earplugs from? None of the earplugs she’s tried before helped at all. Were they expensive?”

“They’re not expensive _at all_. They cost, like, five bucks maybe?” Kurt said, ignoring Sam’s first question. “And they have a much higher noise reduction rating than ordinary earplugs too. And since they’re reusable, she should be able to get _a lot_ of mileage out of them. I’ll pick some up and have Blaine deliver them to you this weekend when we’re in Lima.”

“That would be amazing! Thanks, man,” Sam replied. “So, what time are you guys getting here? When and where should I meet you? I’m supposed to babysit from noon until 4:00pm, so…”

“Well, I’m meeting up with the girls at the mall food court at 11:00am,” Kurt said. “And Blaine won’t have a car after that, because we’re driving up to Lima together in my car, so… I don’t know what you guys want to do.”

“Um, well, I could get my mom to drop me and my siblings off at the mall before my parents take off,” Sam said. “Then, if Blaine goes with you to meet the girls, I can meet Blaine there – since we’re gonna take my brother and sister to a movie. After the movie we can walk back to my house; or find a ride from someone maybe?”

“We can always call an Uber or a Lyft to take us back to your house if your brother and sister don’t want to walk,” Blaine suggested. “I don’t mind paying for it.”

“Yeah, alright, if you don’t mind,” Sam agreed. “So, we’re meeting you at the mall at 11:00am? Where? Food court? Or…?”

“Food court sounds good to me,” Blaine told him. “It’s right next to the movie theater too, so we won’t have very far to go to find the showtimes of what’s playing. And we can always get lunch there either before or after the movie too.”

“Cool. So, I’ll see you on Sunday then?” Sam checked.

“Absolutely!” Blaine confirmed. “Thanks for calling me and inviting me to hang out. I appreciate it.”

“No problem, man,” Sam told him. “After what you did for my family, it’s the least I could do.”

“Alright, well, I’ll see you then. Bye, Sam,” Blaine replied. He hung up after hearing Sam’s goodbye. Turning to Kurt, Blaine said, “That was so sweet of him.”

“That’s Sam for you,” Kurt replied, smiling and nodding. “I told you, he’s a really great friend. He’s so selfless; and just a really good person.”

“Yeah,” he said, soft smile on his face, “so are you. Special earplugs for werewolves? Let me guess… you’re going to magically _enhance_ an ordinary pair of earplugs, similar to what you did to our _handcuffs_?”

“Sensitive hearing is no joke,” Kurt replied, seriously. “The only reason I wasn’t constantly using magic to filter my senses, was because I thought I just needed time and exposure to get used to all the changes my body was going through after I first shifted. And I didn’t want to have to rely on magic to keep me sane or pain-free. But unlike me, Stacey was born a full-blooded werewolf; there’s nothing for her to ‘get used to’. And if it’s just certain environments – like a movie theater – that are causing her pain, then I don’t see the harm in giving her some special earplugs to help her enjoy a movie every now and again.”

“Kurt, I wasn’t trying to criticize you,” Blaine said, soothingly. “I think it’s really sweet that you want to help Sam’s sister. Sure, I was a little confused when you first offered your help; but that’s only because I didn’t know where your train of thought was going, and I was pretty sure that you didn’t want to reveal your ability to use magic. My only concern, is what to tell Sam and his family about where the earplugs came from – because you know they’re going to ask.”

Kurt sighed and nodded in understanding. “Yeah, you’re right. How about we just say that I got them from a family friend; and I’m not sure where they got them from? I mean, I told Sam that I used to have sensitive hearing, right? So, I can say that this friend got earplugs for me that worked. And when I heard about Stacey, I called up this friend and asked where I could get another pair for her; then I just picked the earplugs up from them. Maybe that friend knows someone who makes them? Or has connections to exclusive retailers? I don’t know exactly, but that sounds reasonable, right? Because we don’t need to know where this imaginary person got them from, we just need to know where _I_ got them. That way, even if it somehow gets suspected that the earplugs are ‘enhanced’, _I_ won’t be the one that they are suspecting.”

“Okay, I think that will work,” he agreed.

\---

Kurt sat on the couch after a late dinner with the Andersons, looking through the potion book that he bought while taking notes; Blaine sat next to him playing a video game with Jeff via Xbox Live. “Do you know if your parents have cloves upstairs in their kitchen?” Kurt asked, suddenly.

“Huh?” Blaine replied, not taking his eyes off the TV. “Did you say ‘clothes’?”

“No. _Cloves_ ,” he corrected. “Preferably ground cloves; but whole is okay too.”

“I have no idea,” Blaine told him. He chanced a look over at Kurt, doing a double-take when he saw the book in front of him. “Uh…”

“Blaine! Look out!” Jeff’s voice shouted through the headset, causing Blaine’s attention to snap back to the game.

As soon as his character was clear of danger, Blaine resumed his train of thought with Kurt. “Uh, Kurt, baby, isn’t that your potion book?” he asked, carefully, while still trying to pay attention to the game. “What do you need cloves for?”

“There’s a potion in here that supposedly immediately counters all the effects of silver poisoning,” he replied, shrugging. “If silver is really as dangerous for you as you say it is, then having this potion on-hand in case of accidental contact seems like it might be a good idea.”

“Hold on a second!” Blaine said, putting his controller down and turning completely away from his game.

Before he could continue Jeff jumped in to their conversation. “What does Kurt mean by ‘dangerous for _you_ ’? He’s a werewolf too. That shit is dangerous for _all_ of us!”

“He’s immune to it,” Blaine answered. “Either his magic – or that potion his grandmother gave his mom before Kurt was born – is responsible for neutralizing the poison’s effects on him. Trust me; I almost had a heart attack when his step-mom handed him _actual_ silverware to set the dinner table with on Christmas. He’s completely unaffected by it.” Turning to Kurt, he added, “Do you mean to tell me that warlocks have created a potion that can _cure_ silver poisoning?”

“Well, it’s not a _cure_ , per se,” Kurt replied. “It’s more like an _antidote_. It can’t _prevent_ silver poisoning, but it can _reverse_ it.”

“Are you serious? And yet, as far as I know, no werewolves have any knowledge of this potion’s existence,” Blaine huffed. “Why would someone create an antidote for something they aren’t affected by while refusing to share it with those that are? It doesn’t make any sense! You’d think they’d try to profit off it or something. And considering how dangerous silver is to us, I’m sure there are werewolves out there that would be willing to pay a _hefty_ price for it too.”

“Um…” Kurt began, hesitantly, nibbling on his bottom lip, “I don’t think you really want me to answer that question.”

“Why?” Both Blaine and Jeff asked simultaneously, video game completely forgotten by them both.

Kurt took a deep breath before responding, “Well, according to this book…the potion is most commonly used to _torture_ werewolves – usually to get information or something from them, but also as a form of revenge if the werewolf had wronged you somehow. First, you would give the werewolf silver poisoning; watch them suffer for a little while; give them the antidote so they don’t die on you; then give them silver poisoning again…and continue the cycle until you get the results you want. It’s completely sick and twisted. But of course that’s not what I wanted it for! I really do just want it as an emergency antidote to have on hand in case of accidental poisoning.”

Blaine stared at Kurt, disbelieving, his mouth hanging open in shock. “They created an _antidote_ to use for _torture_?”

Kurt shrugged. “That’s what the book says,” he told him, sheepishly. “But don’t werewolves have their own antidote for silver poisoning? You had said that it needs to be treated right away or it can cause anaphylactic shock. So, I thought you already knew how to reverse it?”

“No,” Blaine replied, shaking his head. “Werewolves have discovered ways to _treat_ it, but nothing that can completely _reverse_ it. Treatments usually only clear up the _major_ symptoms too. And those treatments need to be constantly re-applied or the symptoms can flare up again. That’s why it’s so deadly.”

“Oh…” he murmured.

Jeff’s voice in Blaine’s headset broke through their somber mood. “Hey, man, I need to sign off. My parents just got home.”

“Uh, yeah, okay, Jeff. Talk to you later,” Blaine replied, then disconnected his game from the server and removed his headset. Turning back to Kurt, he continued, “So…there’s really an antidote? Does the potion require added magic? Or is it just a mixture of magical ingredients? I mean, is this something that someone without magic could make themselves?”

“Magic has to be added to the potion,” he answered, shaking his head.

“Figures…” Blaine muttered. “So, what other kinds of potions are in that book of yours? Anything else that we might find useful?”

Kurt shrugged as he flipped through the book. “Not really; I don’t think. There’s potions to increase strength and dexterity; remove skin blemishes; enhance memory…” he trailed off, staring at a page in the book with disbelief. “Oh my god.”

“What? What is it?” Blaine asked, apprehensively.

“That memory altering potion that my grandparents tried to give you?” Kurt said, phrasing it as a question as if to remind Blaine about it while pointing at the page in front of him. “They brought that to my dad’s house with them. They didn’t make it in his kitchen while making tea.”

“Are you sure?” he checked.

“Positive,” Kurt replied. “According to this recipe, not only does it require ingredients that I know for a fact cannot be found in my dad’s kitchen, but it takes _sixteen hours_ to brew. They hadn’t even been at my dad’s _house_ that long before spiking your drink, let alone in the kitchen.

“And this recipe also explains why they only gave the potion to you instead of to both of us. It wasn’t for the reason I thought it might be. It’s because one of the ingredients needed is ‘something associated with the target of the memories you want to alter’. In order to give me the potion they would have needed something that is associated with you – like a photograph or a memento of some kind. And they didn’t have that. But since I’m their grandson, of course they have pictures and mementos of _me_ lying around their house.

“That means they planned to give you that damn potion without even bothering to know anything about you. They already disliked you, just for sole fact that we are dating,” Kurt complained, trying to hold back tears of anger. “They didn’t even want to _try_ to be supportive of me. They judged you before they even met you – and that’s with them thinking that you’re _human_ too.”

Blaine wrapped Kurt up in a tight hug. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

“Me too,” he agreed, burying his face in Blaine’s neck.

“Come on,” Blaine said, pulling Kurt up off the couch. “Let’s go take a nice, long, relaxing bubble bath then go to bed. Put this aside for now.

“Will you give me a back rub while we soak?” Kurt asked, hopefully, while wiping away the tears that had fallen without his permission.

“Baby, I will rub anything you want me to,” Blaine replied, flirtatiously, winking at his mate.


	10. Chapter 10

Saturday afternoon, Kurt crawled into Blaine’s lap and began running the tip of his nose along the line of Blaine’s neck, inhaling deeply. “Mmm…hello there,” Blaine murmured, happily. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” He tilted his head to the side to give Kurt more access, as he wrapped his arms around Kurt’s waist, holding him in place.

“You smell good,” Kurt replied, placing kisses all along Blaine’s neck and jawline. “And this movie is boring.”

“Well then, I’m happy to be your entertainment,” he said, playfully. Blaine grabbed a handful of Kurt’s hair, pulled his head backwards so that he could see Kurt’s face, then attached his lips to Kurt’s – giving him a deep, passionate kiss.

Kurt began to whimper as they made-out on the couch. _**< <**I want to blow you, **> >**_ he silently told Blaine, while grinding down on his lap, mouths still attached to one another.

_**< <**Yes, please, **> >**_ Blaine agreed.

Kurt continued kissing Blaine heatedly, as he unbuttoned his jeans. As soon as he got the zipper down, the interior apartment door swung open. Kurt sprang up off of Blaine’s lap, falling onto the couch next to him, then buried his face in Blaine’s shoulder to hide his bright red cheeks.

“Hey, Blainey!” Cooper called out, as he entered his brother’s living space.

“Cooper, I am going to kill you,” Blaine replied, calmly, anger seeping through each word.

“Why? What did I do?” Cooper asked, confused.

“You mean besides being a huge _cockblock_?” Blaine replied, fastening his jeans back up. “I was two fucking seconds away from receiving a mind-numbing blowjob. How did you get in here anyway? The door was locked.”

“First of all,” Cooper began, “you don’t need to stop whatever you were doing on my account. I honestly don’t care if you guys have sex in front of me.”

Blaine cut him off before he could continue. “You may not care, but Kurt does.”

“Oh,” he replied, shrugging. “Sorry ‘bout that then.” Cooper then held up a keyring for Blaine to see. “And I borrowed mom’s spare key that she keeps at the top of the stairs. She asked me to invite you guys to lunch.”

“I’m sure she didn’t mean for you to barge into our home unannounced to do so,” Blaine grumbled. Turning his head slightly to look down at Kurt, he began to gently run his fingers through Kurt’s hair. “Hey, sweetie,” he began, softly. “Do you want to go upstairs and eat lunch with my parents?”

Kurt nodded his head in response, while keeping his face hidden against Blaine’s body.

Blaine kissed the top of Kurt’s head, then turned back to his brother. “Alright; we’ll be upstairs in minute. Close the door on your way out.”

“Uh…okay…” Cooper replied, hesitantly, before slowly exiting the apartment, closing the door behind him.

“You okay?” Blaine asked Kurt, once his brother was gone.

“I’m fine,” he replied, lifting his head to look at his mate. “Just embarrassed.”

“You have nothing to be embarrassed about,” Blaine said, sweetly. “Honey, nobody in this house is going to care if we have sex. They actually _expect_ it. It’s _extremely_ common to be overcome by desire for your mate at any given moment for _at least_ the first three months of your relationship; and we’ve only been together for one.”

“No, I know that,” Kurt told him. “And it doesn’t really bother me that they _know_ we have sex. Not really anyway. But I’d rather not have anyone _see_ us having sex. I mean, I still get slightly embarrassed when the pack _hears_ us.”

“Cooper didn’t see anything,” Blaine reminded him. “He _maybe_ saw us kissing; for, like, a split second. That’s it. You had _barely_ gotten my pants open when he walked in. And if we’re going by a human mindset of sex, shouldn’t it be _me_ that gets embarrassed? Not you? _I_ would have been the one with my dick exposed, after all. Unfortunately for me, my dick was still safely tucked away in my pants, instead of your mouth.”

Kurt began laughing and buried his face against Blaine’s arm again. “I still want to suck you off. But I feel bad making everyone wait for us. Tell me what to do?”

“As much as I would _love_ that blowjob right now, I think we should go upstairs and eat,” Blaine said regretfully. “But I promise: as soon as we are alone again, you can suck my dick all you want.”

“I’m going to hold you to that,” he replied, getting up off the couch.

\---

“That was fast,” Cooper said, looking up from his laptop, as Blaine and Kurt walked into the upstairs living room.

“That’s because we were _talking_ , not fucking,” Blaine replied, rolling his eyes at his brother. He looked around the room with a confused expression. “Where is everyone? I thought you said mom wanted us to come upstairs for lunch?”

“No…what I said was that mom wanted me to _invite_ you to lunch,” Cooper clarified. “I never said lunch was ready; or that you should come upstairs _now_. As for where everyone is, dad is in his office, and mom and Caitlin just left to go pick up the food. But it will probably take them a while to return because they weren’t able to get through on the phone to order ahead. So, after they get there and order, they’ll have to wait around for everything to get cooked.”

Blaine groaned, loudly, while dramatically collapsing into the reclining armchair. He pulled on Kurt’s arm until Kurt was seated in his lap, then he buried his face in Kurt’s chest. “I hate you, Cooper,” Blaine mumbled into Kurt’s chest.

“No you don’t,” Cooper replied, smugly. “You love me.”

\---

“What time are you boys leaving tomorrow?” Pam asked Blaine and Kurt, while the family sat around the dining room table, eating lunch.

“Um,” Blaine began, unsure. “8:30-ish? I think?” He looked toward Kurt for confirmation, but Kurt only shrugged in response. “Well, we have to be at the mall in Lima by 11:00am, so Kurt can meet up with his friends. So, we definitely have to be out of the house by 9:00am at the latest.”

“Are you not joining them?” Marc asked. “I only ask because of how you worded it. It makes it sound like you aren’t going with them.”

“I’ll be at the mall too,” Blaine started, “but I’m meeting up with Sam instead. I’m going to help him babysit his younger siblings. We’re taking them to see a movie.”

“Who’s Sam?” Cooper asked.

“He’s a werewolf friend – from Kurt’s old school,” Blaine told him. “His father just started working for mom and dad at their warehouse.”

Cooper looked confused before asking Kurt, “I thought you said you didn’t hang around other werewolves until you met Blaine?”

“I said that I didn’t have a _pack_ until met Blaine; and that I was kept away from other werewolves when I was _younger_ ,” Kurt corrected. “But I only met Sam a few months ago. He moved to Ohio only a couple of months before I transferred schools. And in that short time, he became a _really_ good friend to me. When he and Blaine met a few weeks ago…well, let’s just say, if I didn’t know that Sam was straight, and that Blaine was bonded to me for life, I would be extremely suspicious – and jealous – of the way they were acting around each other at our victory party.”

Blaine smiled and rolled his eyes. “Oh, please, we were talking about _Star Wars_. There’s absolutely no reason _that_ should make you jealous.”

“It wasn’t _what_ you were talking about. It was _how_ you were talking about it,” he clarified. “Just…the way your smile lit up as you guys spoke; the way you laughed at almost everything he said.” Kurt shrugged. “Look, I know Sam is extremely good looking, and he has _amazing_ abs; I would honestly be surprised if you _weren’t_ attracted to him in some way. But, like I said, the only reason I’m _not_ getting jealous is because you and I are soul-bonded.”

“You’ve seen Sam’s abs?” Blaine asked, raising an eyebrow at his mate, suspiciously.

“Our glee club attempted to put on a production of _Rocky Horror_. He was Rocky,” Kurt replied, with a mischievous smirk. “He was on stage in nothing but a tiny little pair of very tight gold booty shorts.”

“You _attempted_ to put on a production? What does that mean?” Cooper asked, when all Blaine could do was stare at Kurt with a slack jaw.

“We got some, uh, _complaints_ about our choice of musical; and had some trouble with the, uh, casting, I guess you could call it,” Kurt told him. “We ended up not being allowed to do the production for an audience, like we intended; but since we had all worked so hard on it, we just performed it for ourselves to an empty auditorium.”

“Who did you play?” Caitlin asked, quietly, avoiding direct eye contact.

“Riff Raff,” Kurt answered.

“Are there pictures?” Blaine asked. “Of you! I mean, are there pictures of you as Riff Raff?”

“Yup,” he confirmed, giggling and nodding his head. “I’ll make sure you see the _full cast_ pics when we are at my dad’s this weekend.” A few seconds later Kurt silently asked Blaine, _**< <**Is it just me, or is Caitlin acting strange? She’s been extremely quiet this whole meal. And she keeps giving me weird looks when she thinks I’m not paying attention; and will barely look at me when she thinks I am. **> >**_

**_< <_** _It’s not just you. I noticed it too, **> >**_ Blaine confirmed. _**< <**I think she’s feeling conflicted. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Conflicted about what? **> >**_Kurt wondered.

_**< <**Her feelings toward you, **> >**_ he replied. _**< <**All of the time that Cooper has spent hanging out with us the past few days has strengthened his familial bond with you. She’s picking up on that bond through their soul-bond. It’s difficult to hold on to your resentment and jealousy when your soulmate’s feelings of brotherly affection keep pushing their way into your subconsciousness. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Wait, so you mean to tell me that even though I haven’t been spending a lot of time with her, my familial bond with her is being strengthened because I’ve been spending time with Cooper? **> >** _Kurt asked.

_**< <**Yup, **> >** _he replied. _**< <**It’s why I don’t want to rip her head off for the way she treated you at the cabin every time I see her; even though logically I know I should still be upset with her. I mean, haven’t you noticed that the more time you spend with Coop, the less on edge you are around her? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Oh…yeah, I guess so, **> >** _Kurt answered.

\---

Just before Blaine and Kurt retreated back downstairs after lunch, Cooper stopped them. “Hey guys, can you hold on a second?” he asked, apprehensively.

The boys stopped, giving him a curious look. “Sure, Coop, what’s up?” Blaine replied.

Cooper appeared to be having a silent conversation with Caitlin. He then placed his hand on her shoulder and quietly told her, “You got this.” Then he gave her a kiss on her forehead and left the room.

Caitlin took a deep breath then nodded to herself. Turning to look at the boys she cleared her throat before speaking. “I’m sorry.”

Kurt squinted in confusion at her. “For what?”

“My apology at the cabin was not as genuine as it should have been,” she began. “I’ve had more time to think about everything that happened and everything that was said. And I was completely out of line.” Closing her eyes, she swallowed audibly, then got down on her knees in front of them, crossing her arms behind her back. She opened her eyes again, before bowing her head.

Kurt rolled his eyes and was about to tell her to stand, when Blaine let out a soft gasp, placing his hand on Kurt’s arm to stop him. _**< <**Don’t. This isn’t a ploy; she’s being serious. The way she’s kneeling – her body language – it’s part of an ancient werewolf custom called a ‘declaration of atonement’; she’s basically begging for mercy. **> >**_

“I humbly request your forgiveness for the heinous transgressions I have made,” Caitlin told them, voice full of sincerity. “The disrespect that I showed to both of you was inexcusable. I let my anger and jealousy get the better of me. I overlooked Blaine’s status as a pack Alpha, treated him like a juvenile, then tried to convince him – and myself – that I had more rank, power, and authority than he did. I also knew full-well that Monseigneur did not want to have his life placed under a microscope to be examined; and yet I suggested it anyway. To make matters worse, I completely disregarded his presence in the room while doing so. It is something that I truly regret. In addition to my most sincerest apologies, I offer to both of you my submission and pledge of fidelity in a formal declaration of atonement.”

_**< <**If you don’t want to accept her apology, just say ‘request denied’, and walk away, **> >**_Blaine informed Kurt. _**< <**If you are willing to accept her apology and forgive her, extend your hand toward her and say ‘I grant you absolution’; like this. **> >**_ Blaine extended his hand down toward Caitlin, presenting it to her, palm facing down. “I grant you absolution.”

Caitlin took his offered hand in both of hers then placed a kiss on the back of it before releasing it and bowing her head once more. “Thank you, Alpha Blaine.”

Kurt looked over a Blaine, unsure. Blaine replied by giving him a half-shrug, as if to say ‘it’s your decision’. Kurt nodded in response before extending a hand toward Caitlin, just as Blaine had done a moment ago. “I grant you absolution.”

Caitlin’s eyes filled with tears, and she choked back a sob before taking Kurt’s hand in hers and kissing it in the same manner she had done for Blaine. “Thank you, Monseigneur Kurt.”

Blaine helped her stand up, then swept her into a hug. “You didn’t have to do that,” he whispered into her ear, while rubbing her back, soothingly.

“Yes, I did,” she argued. “I’m _so_ sorry, Blaine.”

“It’s alright. You’ve been forgiven. We can move forward now,” he told her. Blaine looked toward the wall separating them from the living room – where he knew his brother was sitting, listening – and softly called out to him. “Cooper.”

Cooper walked back into the dining room and smiled at his brother and mate hugging. He gently placed a hand on Caitlin’s back, causing her to exit Blaine’s embrace and fall into Cooper’s arms.

Blaine smiled at Kurt and motioned his head to the stairwell, silently asking if he wanted to go back downstairs. Kurt nodded, then held up a finger, asking Blaine to wait a moment.

“Caitlin?” Kurt asked, quietly. She turned her head to look at him while still clinging tightly to Cooper. “I never did get around to giving you those skin care tips we talked about. How about you and I have a spa day? Just the two of us? Blaine and I probably won’t be back from my dad’s until late afternoon on Tuesday, so how does Wednesday sound? It’s the day before we go back to school. I could use a day of relaxation before being thrust back into the world of too much homework.”

“I would love to have a spa day with you,” Caitlin agreed. “And Wednesday sounds great. Thank you, Monseigneur.”

“You can call me ‘Kurt’,” he told her, smiling kindly.

Caitlin nodded her head and smiled in return before ducking her face back in Cooper’s chest. Once she’d turned away, Kurt took hold of Blaine’s hand and walked back downstairs to their apartment.

\---

Sunday morning, when Kurt and Blaine dropped off their things at Burt’s house, Burt handed his car keys over to Blaine. After Kurt had mentioned their plans to him over the phone the night before, Burt said since he wasn’t working and wouldn’t be needing his car, he’d rather Blaine have reliable transportation than have to walk or pay for a ride, especially with Sam’s younger siblings in tow. After promising to drive safely, Blaine thanked him, then followed behind Kurt as they drove to the mall in separate vehicles.

The boys arrived at the mall about ten minutes early. They each bought a coffee from the coffee cart near the food court, then took a seat at a table to wait for everyone to arrive. A few minutes later, Blaine heard Rachel’s voice from across the room, and altered Kurt to their presence.

“See?” Rachel whispered to Mercedes and Tina. “I _told_ you Blaine would be here. He’s super possessive and clingy. He doesn’t allow Kurt to leave his sight, like, ever. It’s _so_ unhealthy. And Kurt’s so desperate for a boyfriend that he doesn’t even see anything wrong with it.”

Kurt began growling under his breath at Rachel’s comments. “Who invited her?”

“Just ignore her,” Blaine said. “We both know the truth. And don’t comment on it once they get over here either. Remember, we shouldn’t be able to hear them. Besides, I’m sure she’ll give us an opening to prove her wrong; she usually does.”

“Yeah, I know. I just hate that she’s attempting to spread false rumors about us – about _you_ ,” Kurt replied.

The girls had crossed the food court and approached the table Kurt and Blaine were sitting at. Murmuring under her breath in a conspiratorial tone, Rachel told Mercedes and Tina, “Watch this…” before smiling brightly at the two boys. “Blaine! What a surprise! I didn’t realize you’d be joining us today,” Rachel said, trying to sound excited about seeing him.

“Oh, no, sorry, Rachel,” Blaine began, apologetically. “Kurt was just keeping me company until you guys got here. I’m actually meeting up with Sam. He asked if I’d help him babysit his younger siblings. They should be here any minute now. And I know how much Kurt was looking forward to being able to spend the day with just his friends. I would never intrude upon that.”

“Did you say ‘Sam’?” Rachel asked, skeptically. “Sam Evans? _That_ Sam?”

Just then Sam walked up behind the girls with his brother and sister in tow. “Someone say my name?” He looked over at Blaine and continued, “Sorry we’re late. Stacey couldn’t find her shoes.”

“It’s not a problem; and you’re actually right on time,” Blaine replied. “Hey, Stevie, Stacey. You guys know which movie you want to see yet?” Both kids shook their heads. “Well then, let’s go see what’s playing, shall we? Oh, and _these_ are for you.” Blaine handed Stacey a zippered case that held the earplugs that Kurt had enhanced. Looking at Stevie, Blaine added, “We got you a pair too; even though you may not need them as much as Stacey does. But we thought they might be useful for watching the fireworks.” Stacey thanked him and Kurt each with a hug then put the case in her pocket; while Stevie smiled gratefully and gave them a shy thank you. Blaine looked back at Kurt and smiled at him. “Have fun with your friends. I’ll see you later?”

“Wait,” Rachel said, sounding suspicious. “I didn’t realize the two of you were such great friends. Didn’t you just meet at Sectionals?”

“No, we met before that. My dad works for Blaine’s parents,” Sam told her. “His whole family is super nice, and they’ve helped us out a ton.”

Kurt smirked when Rachel huffed in response. He reached out his hand and gently caressed Blaine’s arm. “I’ll text you when I get back to my dad’s. Enjoy your movie.”

“We will,” Blaine replied, smiling softly while waving at Kurt and the girls as they walked away. As soon as the girls were out of earshot, he turned back to Sam. “Thanks for that. Rachel was…ugh…” He trailed off unsure how to finish that statement.

“I know,” Sam said. “I heard what she said to Mercedes and Tina. But it’s not like anything I told her was a lie either, you know?”

\---

Once their movie was over, Blaine, Sam, and Sam’s siblings all went back to the food court to order lunch. Stacey was so ecstatic that the earplugs had worked so well, and that she was able to enjoy the movie without any problems, that she thanked Blaine over and over again while they waited in line to order; she even asked Sam if they could buy Blaine’s lunch for him to pay him back.

Blaine convinced her that wasn’t necessary because he was just the messenger; Kurt was the one that found the earplugs for her, and he wanted her to have them as a belated Christmas gift – since he knew Sam’s family also celebrated Christmas.

After lunch, they decided to wander around the mall for a little bit before going back to Sam’s house. As they were walking past one of the department stores, Kurt and the girls exited that same store. Kurt tripped over his untied shoelace as he stepped into the walkway.

Blaine dashed forward to steady him before he fell. “Whoa, easy there. You alright?”

“Yeah, fine. Thanks to you,” Kurt answered. He moved to the edge of the walkway, up against the storefront, so he’d be out of the way of other shoppers, then placed his shopping bags on the floor and bent down to tie his shoe.

Blaine made a soft hum of approval as he openly checked out his mate’s ass. Kurt looked over his shoulder back at Blaine with a smug grin on his face. As soon as he finished tying his shoe, he righted himself, turned to Blaine and in a playful voice replied, “Pervert.”

“Me?” Blaine gasped. “Well if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black, I don’t know what is.” Watching Kurt struggle to pick up all his shopping bags again he added, “Do you want me to take some of those bags off your hands for you? I mean, you still have shopping to do, and you can barely carry what you have.”

“Would you really?” Kurt replied, hopefully. “That would be amazing. Thank you.”

“Not a problem,” he replied, as he picked up all of Kurt’s shopping bags. “We were just about to leave the mall to head over to Sam’s house, so I won’t have to carry them for very long. But you, on the other hand, are planning on being at this mall for at least another hour, if not longer. And I know you have plans after you leave here too.”

“You know, if we weren’t in a crowded mall in the middle of Ohio, I’d kiss you right now,” Kurt told him, smiling softly.

“Stupid homophobic shoppers ruining all my fun,” Blaine said, pouting at Kurt.

Just then, a couple of boys in letterman jackets walked past them. Kurt froze in place and watched them as they passed by. One of the boys turned in his direction. “What are you looking at, fag?” the boy sneered at him. Kurt quickly averted his eyes; the boy seemed satisfied by that and kept walking.

Blaine watched the interaction cautiously. “Are you okay?” he asked, Kurt. “Who was that?”

“No one,” Kurt replied, shaking his head.

“That was David Karofsky,” Tina answered. “He goes to McKinley with us.”

“I’m sorry, did you just say _‘Karofsky’_?” Blaine asked through clenched teeth, trying – and failing – to remain calm. When Tina nodded in reply, Blaine turned in the direction Karofsky had gone, and took a step to follow after him.

“Blaine, stop,” Kurt Seigneur-commanded, placing a hand on Blaine’s arm to ‘hold him back’. Blaine flashed him an indignant glare, causing Kurt to wince apologetically.

“Kurt…” Blaine began slowly, “Let. Me. Go.”

Kurt gave a tiny shake of his head, and in his regular voice added, “Please don’t. He’s not worth it.”

“He needs to pay for what he did,” Blaine told him, seriously.

“Not by your hand he doesn’t,” Kurt argued. “You promised.”

“I promised I wouldn’t seek him out,” Blaine corrected. “But I also said that if I happen to run into him somewhere that I would not remain civil.”

“Blaine, please,” Kurt pleaded. “If you lay a finger on him, _you_ are the one that’s going to wind up paying the price; not him.”

“Yeah,” Mercedes interjected. “Kurt’s right. I don’t mean any offense or anything, but Karofsky is twice your size; maybe even more. Whatever you _think_ you’d be able to do to him isn’t going to work. He’d crush you like bug.”

“I appreciate your concern, Mercedes,” Blaine began, “but I’ve been taking boxing lessons for years. I’m _a lot_ stronger than I look. And I’m fast too. He may be physically bigger than me, but that’s the only advantage he has – and I wouldn’t even call _that_ an advantage.” Turning toward Kurt he added, “And you and I both know I could take him with one hand tied behind my back.”

“That wasn’t what I meant, and you know it,” Kurt told him. “You were driven out of your old school the same way I was driven out of mine. You know how people like him will twist everything around to make themselves look the victim. It doesn’t matter what he does, _you_ are the one that will get in trouble for it. You _know_ I’m right about this. Please…just…ignore him. Please?”

“Fine. I’ll let it go for now,” Blaine agreed, reluctantly. In his Alpha voice, he added, “But if he attempts to lay a finger on you, I want you to defend yourself.”

“Okay,” he said, nodding.

_**< <**Now can you please release me from your ‘stop’ command, so I can go back to Sam’s house? **> >** _Blaine silently asked Kurt. _**< <**And while we’re at it, how about you tell me how I’m going to explain to Sam and his siblings how you were able to give an order to an _Alpha _? **> >**_

“Oh, shit,” Kurt muttered under his breath, looking over at Sam who was leaning against the railing across from them while holding his brother and sister’s hands; all three of them staring at Kurt and Blaine with an expression that was a cross between shocked and confused. He quickly released Blaine from the command then took a deep breath. _**< <**Tell them the truth; that I can give commands because my wolf’s fur is completely white. Obviously, don’t tell them how or why. I don’t want them knowing I’m a warlock. I’m sure you can figure out a way to manipulate the truth into something they can believe without alluding to magic in any way. And do whatever you have to, to make sure that they don’t tell anyone; use my magic if necessary. **> >**_

Blaine nodded. “Alright…well, we should really head back to Sam’s now,” he said, changing the subject.

“Yeah, okay,” Kurt replied. “I’ll text you later?”

“Sounds good,” he agreed. Then privately, he added, _**< <**I love you. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Love you too, **> >**_ Kurt replied, sounding relieved.

\---

“So, uh, what happened back there?” Sam asked, quietly, as Blaine and the Evans family loaded all of Kurt’s shopping bags and themselves into Burt’s car. “Because it almost sounded like Kurt gave _you_ an Alpha-command. But I know that’s not possible; or it shouldn’t be anyway.”

“You’re right,” Blaine said. “It’s _not_ possible. And that wasn’t an Alpha-command; even if it did sound like one.”

“What was it?” Sam prodded when Blaine didn’t volunteer any additional information.

“Can this wait until we get back to your house?” Blaine asked, glancing around the parking lot. “I’d rather not have this conversation in public. And I need to leave this mall before I break my promise to Kurt and go marching back in there to dismember that homophobic jerk.”

Once they got to Sam’s house, Sam sent his brother and sister upstairs to their bedrooms. “If they’re busy listening to music or doing something else, they won’t pay attention to what we’re saying,” Sam told Blaine.

Blaine nodded in understanding. When Sam turned his back to turn on the TV for an additional noise distraction, Blaine borrowed a little bit of magic from Kurt, and quickly constructed a sound filter with the flick of his wrist. The filter was similar to the soundproof barriers that Kurt usually made; only instead of keeping all sound out, it just muffled the sound, making it harder to understand.

“So, that command Kurt gave you? What was that?” Sam asked, taking a seat on the couch. “I heard the inflection of his voice. I _know_ it was an order. And you obeyed him. But he’s a Delta; and you’re an Alpha. How…”

Blaine took a deep breath, taking a seat next to Sam, as Sam trailed off. “I know, according to his scent, Kurt is a Delta. But he actually has _another_ classification too.” When Sam gave Blaine a puzzled look, he continued, “Monseigneur.”

Sam’s jaw dropped as his eyes widened in shock. “Are you serious? He’s a white werewolf? Like, _all_ -white? Really?”

“Yeah,” Blaine confirmed, nodding. “It’s not something that he advertises; he doesn’t want other werewolves knowing about it. He gave me permission to tell you though – _just_ you. So, _please_ , don’t share that information with anyone.”

“I won’t. I promise. But…is that why he was able to command you though? I don’t understand. How does that work?” Sam wondered.

“When our pack found out he could issue commands that would be followed, we realized something,” Blaine began. “Pretty much every story about the all-white werewolves said that they _commanded_ respect from other wolves. We realized that we should be taking that _literally_. The _reason_ white werewolves are so respected is _because_ of their ability to command other werewolves; just like we respect Alphas for their leadership and rank. Even if they aren’t _our_ Alpha, we still show them respect for being able to control their own pack. But the white werewolves get added notoriety because their commands work on _all_ werewolves; not just the ones in their pack; and not just the ones with a lower rank.”

“Wait…are you saying he can issue orders to _anyone_?” Sam asked, shocked.

“Any werewolf; yeah,” he confirmed.

“How?” Sam wondered.

Blaine shrugged. “We don’t know. Kurt’s afraid of getting too many tests done. He had a few, but none of them were able to give us any concrete information; and he doesn’t want to undergo more tests because he doesn’t want to become some lab experiment. Because even though doctors take oaths preventing them from sharing patient information, they still sometimes share medical information with committees and boards – just without a patient’s name attached. The less tests he endures, the less likely that people will find out what he is. Because Kurt’s also afraid of being exploited. And I can’t say that I blame him either. The first thing people ask when they find out his wolf is white is: ‘can I see it?’. If word somehow got out that there was a living, breathing, all-white werewolf, there would be caravans full of people showing up at our doorstep wanting to see him. That’s not something either of us want.”

“Wow…so, I’m guessing that means you don’t know how he ended up with white fur either, huh?” Sam asked.

“Not really,” he replied. “All his doctor said was that Kurt had a genetic marker for white fur. How and why he has that marker is anybody’s guess. I mean, Kurt doesn’t know _anyone_ from his mom’s family; and he _certainly_ doesn’t have any of their medical records. Not to mention, there aren’t any medical records at all of other white werewolves to compare anything to even if he did.”

“Damn…that must be so rough,” Sam said. “I can’t imagine what it must feel like for him to know so little about himself like that; not knowing _anything_ about his mom’s family. So, does that mean he grew up without any werewolves at all in his life after his mom died? Since his dad’s human? I mean, when I talked to him after Sectionals it sounded like he wasn’t a part of a pack before meeting you. But I always assumed that he still had his relatives to talk to and stuff, you know?”

“No; he was alone,” Blaine replied. “Our pack has had to teach him so much about werewolf culture and history because his mom had passed away before she could teach him herself. It’s been a really big adjustment for him.”

“Can I ask you something else?” Sam began, hesitantly. When Blaine nodded at him, he continued, “What did Karofsky do to Kurt? I always thought there was more to the story than what Kurt was telling us; and seeing the way you reacted to his name at the mall pretty much confirmed it for me. Because even though Alphas are known for being extremely protective of their mates, your reaction seemed a little excessive. I mean, you looked like you wanted to _kill_ him. I was actually scared that you _would_ – or at least _try_ to – until Kurt ordered you to stop. And…you actually looked a little angry at Kurt for giving you that order. So, how does him being able to give orders affect your relationship. I mean, you’re an Alpha. Alpha’s don’t follow orders.”

Blaine took a deep breath before answering. “I was a little upset about Kurt giving me the order – and he knows it. But I wasn’t upset because he gave me _an_ order; I was upset because he gave me _that_ order. He stopped me from attacking that disgusting bastard. I know he only did it to protect me, so I don’t fault him for it; I’m not mad at Kurt. I understand why he stopped me; because without that order, I would have _mauled_ that jerk. It was probably a good thing that Kurt didn’t let me…at least…while we were in such a public space anyway.

“And oddly enough, I don’t mind Kurt giving me an occasional order. He’s my mate. I know he’s not trying to take over leadership of my pack. He’s not even trying to assert dominance over me at all. I can feel his intentions behind the orders he gives. Usually it’s to protect me in some way; or sometimes he’s just trying to draw attention to something specific that I might be missing. Kurt’s not the type of person that just gives orders because he can. He exercises a lot of restraint with that ability.

“As for that lowlife scum who shall remain nameless…he threatened my mate’s _life_ ,” Blaine growled. “He put his hands on my mate. Shoved Kurt into walls and lockers. Tossed him into dumpsters. Threw ice-cold slushies in his face. He even threw piss-filled balloons at him; and as a werewolf that literally uses urine as a way to _scent-mark_ things in order to claim them, I cannot tolerate some troglodyte marking _my_ mate in that way. He also belittled Kurt for _years_ ; calling him slurs and other derogatory names – and those emotional scars he created will take a lot longer to heal than any physical ones ever will.”

“Is that all though?” Sam wondered.

“Isn’t that enough?” Blaine retorted. “Any one of those things on their own is enough to make me thirsty for revenge; combine them all together and my need for vengeance is multiplied by a _thousand_. McKinley did a grave disservice by not holding that bastard accountable for any of his actions. Someone needs to teach him a lesson. And unfortunately for him, I now have his _scent_. I promised Kurt I wouldn’t seek him out; and I won’t. But if I ever run into him again – when Kurt’s not present to stop me – I will make him sorry he was ever born.”

“I guess you’re right,” Sam agreed. “But I dunno, I just feel like there’s _more_ that’s being left unsaid.”

“If there is – and I’m _not_ saying that there is – but _if_ there is, then Kurt has a reason for not wanting others to know; and I won’t betray him by sharing that information,” Blaine told him. Sam nodded in understanding, so Blaine changed the subject. “But anyway, I thought we were gonna play some video games?”

“Oh! Yeah, totally,” Sam replied. “My games are over here. Pick something out. I’m just gonna run upstairs and check on Stevie and Stacey first. They’re being quieter than normal.”

As soon as Sam had his back toward him, Blaine quickly took down the sound filter then went to choose a game.

\---

Later that night, after dinner, Kurt and Blaine were sitting in Kurt’s old bedroom discussing their day. “So, what happened at Sam’s? What did you tell them about me?” Kurt wondered.

“Well, Stevie and Stacey think that you were just _mimicking_ an Alpha-voice in order to get my attention, so I would know you were serious; and that I obeyed you out of respect for our relationship – not because I was compelled to,” Blaine told him. “Sam’s the _only_ one that knows your wolf is white, and that the orders were real. When Stevie mentioned how you imitated an Alpha at the mall to his parents, I told them that your mom was an Alpha, so his parents now think that your ability to _sound_ like an Alpha with _out_ any actual authority behind the order, comes from the fact that you’re a hybrid with an Alpha mother.” He explained in detail everything that he told Sam and Sam’s family, just so they would have their stories in order. Blaine ended his explanation by saying, “Sam’s not going to tell anyone. I don’t have any kind of magical guarantee on that or anything, but he seemed to _really_ understand the seriousness of keeping it a secret. I mean, Stevie and Stacey don’t even know you’re not a full-blooded werewolf; and Sam wasn’t even the one to tell his parents that you were a hybrid either. He hasn’t told _anyone_. His parents were able to piece that together on their own; because they met you before we mated, they’ve also met your dad, and because my parents referred to you as my _mate_. But my parents also made sure they knew that your hybrid status was to be kept confidential. As for explaining how you avoided interspecies complications…well, no one knows; you’re a 1-in-a-trillion miracle. And luckily, none of them have any experience with magic at all. They all seem to think that ‘odd scent’ that lingers on your dad is just a strange mixture of all the different chemicals found in his auto shop – oil, gasoline, lubricant, antifreeze, transmission fluid, et cetera.”

“Well, that’s good,” Kurt said. “And I don’t know why, but I really _trust_ Sam and his family. They’re good people. I didn’t actually believe that _Sam_ would say anything earlier. I was only worried earlier because Stevie and Stacey are so young. I know they know better than to talk about werewolves around humans, but I wasn’t sure if they’d be able to refrain talking about me to other werewolves, you know? I feel so much better knowing that they think I’m a full-blooded werewolf that was _imitating_ an Alpha-command, rather than knowing that command was real because I’m actually a hybrid/all-white werewolf.”

“Yeah, I know,” Blaine agreed. “But enough about that. You didn’t have any more trouble with that… _bully_ , did you?”

“No,” Kurt replied, shaking his head. “We didn’t see him again until we were on our way out of the mall. But luckily, he didn’t see us; so there were no problems. Although, after that little display of aggression you show showed at the mall, we have a new problem. Rachel is now even more convinced that our relationship is not healthy, and that my safety is in jeopardy.”

“What?” he asked, in disbelief. “How does me getting angry that someone frightened you and called you a slur translate into you not being safe with me? Or us having an unhealthy relationship?”

“She thinks it’s a sign of you having a quick temper,” Kurt said, shrugging. “Supposedly, she’s afraid that you may turn that temper on me. I overheard her talking to Tina and Mercedes about it when I was in the bathroom. She told them that they way you mentioned me knowing the type of violence you are capable of, was implying that I’d experienced it before – first hand; worst part is they seem to think there’s a little bit of truth in what Rachel told them.”

“I would never!” Blaine exclaimed. “How could they think that? Maybe I’m a touch overprotective of you, but that’s just because I don’t want to see you get hurt. I care about you too much. I could never… If anything ever happened to you…I don’t know how I’d deal with that. Rachel doesn’t even know anything about me. Or us. How can she be so quick to judge me like that?”

Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine comfortingly, allowing Blaine to bury his face in Kurt’s chest. There was a soft knocking on the door, as it opened to reveal Finn on the other side. “Can I come in?” Finn asked.

“Now’s not really a good time, Finn,” Kurt replied.

“Is he okay?” Finn checked, motioning toward Blaine.

Before Kurt could answer, Blaine lifted his head. “It’s fine, Kurt. Let him in. I’m okay. Really. I’ll be fine.” Looking over at Finn, Blaine added, “What’s up Finn?”

“Oh, um, well, would it be okay if I talk to Kurt alone?” he replied, awkwardly.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll just go downstairs and make some hot cocoa,” Blaine paused and looked at Kurt, “if that’s okay?” Kurt nodded at him, so Blaine gave him a quick peck on the lips, then got up off the bed and left the room.

Once Blaine was out of the room and the door was shut, Kurt looked at his brother expectantly. “What’s going on?”

“I just got off the phone with Rachel,” Finn began.

Kurt groaned loudly, interrupting whatever Finn was about to say. “You realize she’s the reason Blaine was so upset just now?”

“Huh?” Finn replied, confused. “Why? What’s going on? Because Rachel was angry; and Blaine looked sad. And nothing’s making sense.”

“What did Rachel tell you?” Kurt asked. “What did she say that made you want to come in here and talk to me alone?”

“She said that she thinks Blaine might be hurting you,” Finn told him. “I told her I didn’t think that was true; but she said that when you were at the mall, he was trying to control you and that he got really mad at you about something. I didn’t really understand what she was saying, but I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m fine, Finn,” Kurt said. “Blaine has _never_ hurt me. Ever. And he never will.” He sighed before attempting to explain what happened earlier. “When we were at the mall, Karofsky walked by and called me name. Blaine got upset with _him_ and wanted to go after him – make sure he didn’t get away with it. I stopped Blaine and asked him to ignore Karofsky. Blaine tried to convince me to let him go; that Karofsky needed to be held accountable for all of the things he’d done to me. But I wouldn’t let him; and Blaine reluctantly agreed to ignore him. That’s it. That’s all that happened. If anyone was doing any kind of controlling, it was me; not him. Yes, Blaine got upset; but his anger was directed at Karofsky, not me. And you can verify that info with Sam too, if you have to; because he was right there standing next to us the whole time.”

“But Blaine’s so tiny,” Finn replied. “Why would he want to pick a fight with Karofsky. The dude is built like a house. I know Blaine said he boxes and stuff but wanting to fight Karofsky is _crazy_!”

Kurt shrugged, while smiling. “He wanted to defend my honor. Karofsky has said and done some horrible things to me over the past few years. Blaine knows about the pain I went through because of him; and he just wanted Karofsky to feel some of that pain too. Blaine cares about me. A lot. He doesn’t like seeing me hurt. And the way I reacted to seeing Karofsky at the mall… I was _scared_ , Finn. Blaine was just trying to protect me.”

“Then why did Rachel make it seem like Blaine was trying to hurt you?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Kurt told him. “She doesn’t like him for some reason, so she keeps twisting everything around to make him look like the bad guy. But he’s not a bad guy. And that’s why he was so upset when you walked in. Because I had told him basically what you just told me. That Rachel thinks he has a bad temper and might hurt me. It’s upsetting to him because he would never do that to me. And he doesn’t like that she’s judging him without actually taking the time to get to know him.”

“Oh…well, if it makes you feel better, I believe you,” Finn replied. “I didn’t think that Blaine would do that, but I just needed to make sure. Because you’re my brother; and I promised Burt I’d look out for you. I’m glad that you feel safe with Blaine. I like him. He seems like a cool guy. He’s always doing nice things for you. And he makes you smile. Plus, he likes sports and video games.”

“Thanks, Finn,” Kurt said, smiling. “That actually does make me feel better. It makes me happy to know that you approve of my boyfriend. And that you aren’t letting Rachel warp your image of him.”

“I’ll talk to her,” Finn said. “Maybe I can change her mind? So, does this mean you and Blaine aren’t going to Rachel’s New Year’s party tomorrow?”

“I don’t know yet,” Kurt told him. “It seems like she doesn’t want Blaine there. But I was sort of looking forward to seeing everyone from glee, and I won’t go without him; so…” he shrugged, “I don’t know.”

“Well, if it matters, _I’m_ inviting _both_ of you,” Finn said. “We’d all really like to see you there, dude.”

“I’ll think about it,” he replied. “But what do you say we go downstairs and see if Blaine made any extra hot cocoa that we can steal?”

Finn nodded eagerly, and they left the room together.


	11. Chapter 11

During breakfast on Monday morning, Kurt looked across the table at his father anxiously. “Hey, dad?” he began, cautiously. “When you gave me mom’s journal a few weeks ago, you had said that it was in a box of mom’s things up in the attic, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Why?” Burt replied.

“I was wondering if I could maybe look through those boxes?” he said. “It’s just, reading mom’s journal, and…” he casually glanced around the dining room table where his family was located, then shrugged and let out a sigh, “Well, I’ve learned some new things about mom. And I was hoping I might find some more of her stuff to help me connect to her.”

Burt nodded. “Of course. All the boxes with her things are labeled. They should all be along the back wall. Take whatever you want. Anything of hers that I’d like to keep here with me, I have stored elsewhere.”

“Thanks, dad.” Kurt replied, gratefully. Once he was done eating, he took care of his breakfast dishes then headed for the stairs, pulling Blaine along with him. Entering the attic, Kurt went straight over to the back wall.

“You seemed like you had something particular in mind when you asked about your mom’s things,” Blaine commented, watching as Kurt opened the first box with his mom’s name on it. “Is there something specific you’re looking for?”

“Yeah; sort of,” Kurt replied. “I want to see if I can find copies of my mom’s research. Maybe I can find her notes, or her source materials, or hopefully even copies of her completed work. You know, articles she sent in for publishing; and maybe even ones she hadn’t. Because, with all the precautions taken to make sure that ordinary humans don’t stumble upon those supernatural academic journals, finding copies of all her work is kind of hard. I was hoping that maybe I’d find the original files or something. I also thought she might have some other personal items that could help me feel more connected to her – or something to help me remember her by, you know? Maybe she had other journals that she wrote in besides the one my dad gave me?”

“Oh, wow…yeah, I didn’t even think about her research,” Blaine told him, while looking around the attic. “She probably would have kept a file for that kind of stuff, wouldn’t she? And if your father had seen it, or known about it, he most likely would have packed it away with her stuff in the attic rather than throwing it away, and risk it winding up in the wrong hands.”

“That’s what I’m hoping,” he said, carefully looking through the items in the box in front of him. “I thought about looking for it last time we were here, but with my grandparents visiting… I just didn’t want to risk anything. But for some reason I just feel like reading my mom’s work will not only help me learn more about werewolves in general, but about my _mom_ too. Like, I can get a sense of who she was through her writing or something. Does that sound weird?”

“No. Not at all,” Blaine told him. He continued to look around the attic for other boxes that Kurt might be interested in, when something caught his eye. “Well, if you’re looking for her research, might I direct your attention to this box over here?” He was standing a few feet away, pointing down at a box labeled ‘ _Elizabeth’s Work Stuff_ ’. “If the label is correct, this is probably what you’re looking for.”

Kurt put the item that was in his hand back in the box in front of him, then got up and walked over to the box Blaine had pointed at. He knelt down in front of it and opened it slowly. After skimming through the box, he said, “Hmmm… a lot of the printed stuff appears to be articles and research about ordinary human history; but I can see some things that aren’t too. And there are a ton of CD-ROM discs in here as well. So, hopefully, the files I’m looking for are digitized on them. Guess I should just take the whole box downstairs, huh? We can start to look through the discs this afternoon – get a head start on them before we head home tomorrow.”

“Sounds good to me,” Blaine agreed. “Did you want to keep looking? Or are we bringing this downstairs now?”

“I’d like to keep looking if you don’t mind,” he replied. Closing up the box and sliding it toward Blaine, he added, “Could you just put this over by the door for now though?”

“Of course I don’t mind,” Blaine told him. He took the box from Kurt and placed it next to the attic door while Kurt opened another box. When Blaine came back, Kurt asked him to sit next to him to look through the boxes with him.

After a few moments, Blaine gasped softly as he leafed through a large book that he had taken out of the box in front of him. “Honey, come take a look at this,” he said. He showed Kurt a photo album that was full of pictures of his mom and her family. The pictures had all been taken before she met Burt.

Kurt gently took the album out of Blaine’s hands and slowly examined each page, carefully analyzing the individual pictures on them. Each photo had a caption with a name, date, and location written underneath it. “Oh my god, Blaine. These are all my mom’s siblings – my aunts and uncles – and her parents. And that’s my mom…” He choked back tears as he continued to look at all the photos. Turning the page once again, Kurt let out a loud gasp. “Her wolf. This is a picture of my mom’s _wolf_. Look at her… She’s…”

“She’s gorgeous,” Blaine said, finishing Kurt’s thought when he trailed off, too emotional to speak. “You know, you look like her. Both your human and wolf forms. Obviously, the fur color is different, but I can definitely see the resemblance.”

Kurt smiled at him, bashfully. “You really think so?”

“I do,” he replied. Noticing the corner of something sticking out from behind one of the photos in the book, Blaine asked, “Hey, what’s this?” He carefully removed the hidden item, which turned out to be another photograph.

Kurt took the photo from Blaine looking at it curiously with a bit of confusion.

“Oh my god,” Blaine breathed out, softly, looking at the back of the photo while Kurt looked at the front. “Kurt, baby, I think I know why your mom wanted to spell your name with a ‘K’ instead of a ‘C’.”

“Huh?” Kurt asked, confused.

“Flip the picture over,” he told him.

Kurt turned the photo over and printed on the back was ‘Soulmates: Kurt & Elizabeth – age 15’. “This is my mom and her soulmate? My mom named me after her soulmate? Why would she do that?”

“It was probably her way of honoring him,” Blaine said. “You said your grandfather’s family believes that naming a child after someone that passed away is a way to help a piece of that person live on, right? Considering your grandfather is a warlock, maybe your mom thought he was speaking in a literal sense instead of a figurative one? And she wanted her soulmate’s legacy to live on through you or something? Or maybe it was just a way for her to preserve the memory of him? Just because she lost him, doesn’t mean she has to forget about him.”

“No, I know that,” Kurt told him. “I just mean…to me, it just sounds like it would be a painful memory of what she lost every time she spoke my name, you know? It would be a reminder of what she could have had; or something.”

“Maybe,” he agreed. “But she didn’t mate with him, so despite being soulmates, her bond with him wasn’t like the one we share. She would have had a connection with him, definitely, but I don’t know… I guess he would have been more like her best friend. And of course, once she mated with your dad, any residual _romantic_ feelings would disappear.”

“I suppose…” Kurt said, nodding. “I wonder if my dad knows what her soulmate’s name was? Does he know I was named after him? Or does he think it’s a shortened version of his aunt’s last name, like I was told?”

“Hard to say,” Blaine replied. “But my guess is that he knows. The bond between your parents may have only been a surface bond, but werewolves who have bonded with humans, feel those bonds deeper than their human counterparts do. Your mom would still feel the need to be honest with him about important things. And your dad is a very reasonable and understanding man. I’m sure he would have understood that your mom just wanted to honor someone that she cared about – just like they were honoring his aunt with your middle name. They were probably just being careful about what they told you, so nothing would get back to your grandparents accidentally.”

“That is a very good point,” he said. They continued to look through the boxes for a few more minutes, placing the photo album, as well as a couple of other trinkets that Kurt wanted to keep, in the box of research to take downstairs, until finally they had exhausted all of Elizabeth’s belongings. “Alright, let’s bring this stuff to my room downstairs, and then we can start to go through those computer files.”

“If you want, tomorrow, when we get home, I can ask the pack to come over with their laptops to help us sort through all the digital files,” Blaine told him. “I think the 7 of us would make faster work of it than just you and me. Because there are a lot of discs in there; and I don’t think we’ll get through all of it tonight; especially if we’re going to that New Year’s party at Rachel’s house. Plus, Wes would probably freak out if I _don’t_ invite him over. You know how much he respects your mom’s work.”

Kurt chuckled while nodding. “True.”

\---

Sitting on Kurt’s bed with the box they had retrieved from the attic between them, Kurt and Blaine were sorting through the contents, creating different piles for everything. “Are we just putting all of the human history stuff in one pile? Or are we separating that by region; like European history versus American history?” Blaine asked, while looking between two printed articles in his hands.

“Just put that all together for right now,” Kurt replied. “We can always sort through it later.”

A moment later, Kurt let out a soft gasp. “Honey, hand me my laptop,” he said, making a grabby hands motion in the direction of his computer while staring at the CD in his other hand.

Blaine retrieved the laptop for him, while giving him a look of curiosity. “What is that? What’d you find?”

“Well, according to the label,” he said, putting the CD in the disk drive, “there are home videos from when I was little on here. I didn’t even know any of our old home movies still existed! We used to have a whole box of video tapes with home movies on them, but they all got destroyed when our old basement flooded. My parents must have salvaged a few and had them transferred onto a CD.” He clicked play on one of the file names and watched as a shaky image of his old living room came into focus.

“Oh look at you!” Blaine cooed, pointing at baby Kurt on the screen. “You were so cute!” Smiling sweetly at the boy next to him he added, “Still are, actually.” Kurt rolled his eyes and continued to watch the video.

                In the video, Kurt’s mother had spent several minutes trying to calm down an agitated baby Kurt, but nothing seemed to be working. _“Kurt, honey, what’s wrong?”_ Elizabeth asked. _“What’s got you all worked up? Huh?”_

                _“Maybe he’s hungry?”_ Burt’s voice suggested from behind the camera.

                _“No, I don’t think that’s it,”_ Elizabeth told him. _“He’s been like this all morning. Nothing I do is working to help calm him down either. Not even singing his favorite song; and he always calms down when he hears it. He doesn’t appear to be sick. He doesn’t have a fever. And he doesn’t seem to be in pain. He’s been fed; he’s been changed. I just don’t understand what’s wrong.”_

                _“Just try offering him the bottle again,”_ Burt said, extending a bottle toward Elizabeth.

                Suddenly a bright smile took over baby Kurt’s face. _“Buh…buh…”_

                _“See? Bubba. He just wants his bottle,”_ Burt said. _“No need to worry.”_

                _“I don’t think that’s what he’s trying to say,”_ Elizabeth replied, looking at her son curiously. She accepted the bottle from Burt anyway then offered it to Kurt – who pushed the bottle away when it was given to him. _“What is it, baby? What do you want? What are you trying to tell mommy?”_

                _“Buh…buh…bane! Bane!”_ baby Kurt said, giggling and clapping. _“Bane!”_

“Kurt…” Blaine began slowly, gently tapping on Kurt’s arm. “Look at the timestamp on the video.”

“Huh?” Kurt replied, only half paying attention to his mate, as he tried to watch the rest of the video. “What? Timestamp? Why? What about it? It says February… wait a second.” He looked back and forth between Blaine’s anxious expression and the video before finally saying, “That’s the day you were born. You don’t think…”

“Yeah, I do. I think you were trying to say my name,” Blaine clarified. “I was born at 1:18pm. The timestamp on this frame says 1:26pm.”

Kurt looked at Blaine in shock. “Oh my god…” He quickly paused the video then jumped off the bed and ran to his closet, pulling a plastic bin off the top shelf. “At first, I didn’t think anything of hearing baby me in the video saying ‘Bane’ – until you pointed out the timestamp. Because when I was little, I had this stuffed animal that I took everywhere. And his name was ‘Bane’. I refused to go anywhere without him; although, my parents always made sure he was hidden in a bag or something when we’d go to my grandparents’ house. He went through a lot of wear and tear over the years; even had to be repaired a few times. I put him away in storage when my hormones began going crazy a few years ago because I was afraid of anything worse happening to him. I didn’t want him to be permanently ruined. But this video…it was filmed _before_ I got him.” He took the toy out of the box and showed it to Blaine.

The stuffed animal was a solid black wolf with bright golden-brown eyes. “My parents told me that, ever since I could talk, I would ask them for _wolfsbane_ all the time,” Kurt continued. “They were so confused; and obviously refused to let me have any. Then one day – about a _year_ after this video was filmed – I was at the store with my mom and I saw this little guy sitting on the shelf. I began pointing at him, yelling ‘wolf bane’. I told my mom that I needed ‘my Bane’; and began to cry until she picked him up off the shelf and handed him to me. I wouldn’t let go of him the entire time we were shopping; held on to him so tight when she tried put him back on the shelf. She finally caved in and bought him for me. I’ve had him ever since; and anytime I asked for ‘wolfsbane’ after that, I was usually referring to this little guy.”

“You have a black wolf plushie named ‘Bane’?” Blaine asked, in awe. “Oh my god; that’s adorable! May I hold him?”

“You have to promise to be careful with him,” Kurt said, slowly handing the toy over to Blaine.

“I promise,” he replied, seriously, gently taking the stuffed animal before petting it carefully.

Kurt took a seat next to him on the bed again, curling into his side, while glancing back at the frozen video on his laptop screen.

“What is it, babe?” Blaine asked, curiously. “You look like you’re thinking really hard about something.”

“Before I started babbling your name,” he began, pointing to the laptop, “I was really distressed about something. My mom seemed really worried about me; said I’d been that way all morning. But then suddenly, out of nowhere, I began smiling and saying your name, as if nothing was wrong.” He shrugged, unsure of how to express what he was thinking.

Blaine handed the stuffed toy back to Kurt, then took a deep breath. “If indeed it was my name you were trying to say, I think I have an idea why you were so anxious. My mom had been in labor with me for almost 20 hours before I was born. Considering I was three weeks early, plus all the complications my mom had gone through with Cooper…it was an extremely tense time for everyone. And then to make matters worse, when I finally was born, I wasn’t breathing. The doctors managed to clear my airways, but it still took a few minutes before I actually began to breathe on my own. Considering when I was born, and the timestamp on this video, it’s possible you were somehow sensing my distress? Both in and out of the womb? And once I was in the clear, you finally settled down? I don’t know though, because I’ve honestly never heard of anything like this happening before. Being able to feel your soulmate before you’ve even met? To know their name?” He then motioned to the stuffed animal in Kurt’s arms and added, “What they look like?”

“Well,” Kurt began, hesitantly, “we’re not exactly your average soulmate couple, are we?”

Blaine smiled at him then kissed him on the cheek. “No, we’re not; but I kind of like that about us.”

\---

After watching another short home video, the boys went back to organizing the box from the attic until they heard the doorbell downstairs. “That sounds like Rachel,” Kurt said, listening intently. “But I thought Finn left? What is she doing here? Hold on…did she just ask to come up here to see _me_?”

“I think so,” Blaine responded.

A moment later there was a knock on Kurt’s door. “Just a second!” Kurt called out, hiding anything supernatural-related from the box they were organizing. He got up an answered the door apprehensively. “Rachel. Are you lost? Finn’s room is across the hall. Though, I don’t think he’s home.”

“I actually wanted to speak to you,” she replied. “May I come in?”

Kurt opened the door wider, motioning for her to enter. Rachel’s eyes swept the room, briefly landing on Blaine before returning her gaze to Kurt.

“This looks like it might be a serious talk,” Blaine began. He picked up a random academic journal from the pile of articles on human history, then stood up, poised to leave. “So, I will leave you two alone and go downstairs to do some reading.”

“No, Blaine, wait,” Rachel said. “I’d like you to stay for this, if you don’t mind.”

Blaine shared a look of confusion with Kurt then sat back down on the bed, returning the journal to its pile. “Okay.”

“What’s this all about, Rachel?” Kurt asked, impatiently.

Rachel took a deep breath, nodding to herself. “Finn came by my house earlier today. He told me that I’d been unfairly judging Blaine – without taking time to properly get to know him. I realized he was right. I came here to apologize for that. I think that, after everything that New Directions had gone through with Jesse and Vocal Adrenaline, I’ve become a little wary of anyone from a competing show choir. I couldn’t help but feel like Blaine was using you the same way Jesse used me; so I kept looking for flaws – distorting and exaggerating the smallest of blemishes – just to prove I was right. And I’m sorry. I want to make things right and offer you both a formal invitation to my New Year’s party tonight; and, hopefully, I’ll be able to get to know Blaine a little better – to prevent future biased judgements.”

Kurt let out a humorless laugh. “Let me get this straight,” he started, glaring at Rachel. “You accused my boyfriend of being _abusive_ because _Jesse_ threw eggs at your head?” When Rachel could only shrug in response, Kurt continued, “God, your logic is so messed up, I don’t even know where to begin! What happened between you and Jesse is _completely_ different than my relationship with Blaine. I transferred to Dalton for my _safety_ ; not for a _boy_. I didn’t even meet Blaine until _after_ I _auditioned_ for the Warblers – which was _before_ we found out our schools would be competing against each other. Every single person in the Warblers had a say in whether or not I would be allowed to join. And not once has Blaine _ever_ asked me about New Directions setlists, strategies, choreography, or anything else – not that I have much information to offer since _I am no longer a part of New Directions_.

“When you met Jesse, we were already aware that he was our competition. Then he transferred to McKinley to ‘prove his loyalty’ to you – even though he took a week off of school and glee rehearsals, _with an impending competition on the horizon_ , to go on a Spring Break vacation with all his friends from _Carmel_. No one in New Directions got a say on whether or not he’d be allowed to join our glee club either; Mr. Schue just let him join without any kind of audition or vote or anything.

“So, _please_ , explain to me how _Blaine_ is using _me_ to get the upper hand on New Directions,” he challenged. “Because if _anyone_ has a reason to be wary of my relationship with Blaine, it’s the Warblers; not you. I mean, just look at it from their perspective: I show up a week before a competition, from a school that just so happens to be said competition, and immediately begin a relationship with their lead soloist. Meanwhile, my _brother_ and _best_ friends, that I’m really close with, are _all_ a part of that very same group we are competing against. But yet, _they_ still trust _me_. So why is it so hard for _you_ to trust _Blaine_?”

“He spent Christmas away from his family so he could be here in Lima with you and your family,” Rachel began. “What was I supposed to think? It seemed obvious that he wanted to be here so that he could try to use you to spy on New Directions through Finn.”

“I invited him!” Kurt told her. “He didn’t ask me if he could spend the holiday here; I asked him. When I found his family wasn’t doing anything, I thought it would be fun to have my boyfriend spend the day with my family. I wanted my family to get to know him better – because I _care_ about him. I wanted to be surrounded by _all_ the people I love. So I asked him to join us.

“Not to mention,” he continued, “it’s _December_. Regionals isn’t until March. There is no way New Directions has anything planned this early, so there is nothing for us to spy on. Besides, you know me. You know I’m against cheating. That’s why Finn and I already made a pact that there is to be _no_ talk about glee club _at all_ until after Regionals. So you can just throw that theory right out the window.”

“It still seems suspicious to me,” Rachel told him, shrugging. “But if he comes to the party with you tonight then I can hopefully get to know the _real_ Blaine, right? And maybe if I knew him better, I’d be less wary of him; less likely to judge him unfairly.”

Kurt let out a heavy sigh then turned toward Blaine. “It’s up to you. What do you want to do?”

“Well, first,” Blaine began, looking at Rachel, “I’d like an _actual_ apology for insinuating that I could ever fathom hurting Kurt.”

“What do you mean?” Rachel replied, looking confused. “I just apologized for that, didn’t I?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “You apologized to _Kurt_ for unfairly judging me. You did not apologize to _me_ for anything. I want to hear you say that you’re sorry that you not only believed it was _possible_ for me to abuse Kurt, but for trying to convince other people of that as well.”

Rachel looked at Blaine and in a sincere-sounding voice replied, “I’m sorry.”

Blaine stared at her for a few seconds waiting for her to continue before he realized she was done speaking. He remained silent while giving her a meaningful glare and motioning with his hands for her to elaborate.

Letting out a quiet huff, she continued somewhat reluctantly, “I’m sorry that I assumed your quick temper was proof that you might take your aggression out on Kurt. And I’m sorry I asked Finn to keep an eye on you because of that. I was just trying to look out for Kurt – for his safety – like any concerned friend would do.”

_**< <**I’m not going to get a genuine apology out of her, am I? **> >**_ Blaine asked Kurt.

_**< <**Nope, **> >**_ he confirmed. _**< <**I’m surprised you got the apology that you did, to be honest. **> >**_

“Close enough, I guess,” Blaine muttered under his breath, loud enough for Rachel to hear him. “Well, if Kurt’s leaving the decision about whether or not we’re going to your party tonight up to me…” he paused, looking at Kurt for confirmation; Kurt nodded, so Blaine continued, “then I guess we’ll see you tonight. I know Kurt really wanted to see all of his friends from New Directions; and to be honest, I was sort of looking forward to getting to know everyone better myself. Because all of you are important to him; which means you’re all important to me – because _he’s_ important to me. Because _that’s_ how relationships work.”

Rachel nodded at him. “Okay. Then I will see you both at the party,” she said, happily, before turning around and exiting the room.

\---

“Dude! You came!” Finn said, excitedly, as Kurt and Blaine walked down the stairs into Rachel’s basement where her New Year’s party was being held.

“Yeah, we came,” Kurt replied, unwinding his scarf. He took Blaine’s coat and scarf from him and put everything in the corner with all the other coats.

Santana smirked at him. “Judging by that hickey on your neck, I’m guessing that you and Frankenteen are using that word in two _very_ different ways.”

“Ha ha, very funny, Santana,” Kurt said, dryly. Attempting to change the subject he said, “You remember my boyfriend, Blaine, right?”

“Yeah, I remember your pocket-sized boytoy,” she replied, nodding. “Though, I have to say, I’m actually surprised the two of you showed up here tonight. I know Berry has been acting bitchier than usual, and her parties are usually pretty lame.” Eyeing-up Kurt’s hickey again, she added, “I thought for sure you two would have found something a little more _entertaining_ to do tonight.”

Kurt just shrugged in response, so Blaine commented, “Despite Rachel’s attitude, we thought it’d be fun to see everyone tonight. Kurt really misses all of you guys. And I was hoping I could get to know you all better.” His eyes quickly darted around the room before leaning in a little closer to Santana while lowering his voice, “Besides, just because we’re here, doesn’t mean Kurt and I can’t find ways to _entertain_ each other.”

Santana’s jaw dropped in shock while giving him a look of approval. Kurt, on the other hand, lightly smacked Blaine in the chest. Blaine giggled at Kurt’s reaction before bringing Kurt’s hand up to his face and placing a kiss on it. Rolling his eyes, Kurt tugged on Blaine’s arm. “Come on, let’s go mingle.”

\---

While Kurt was talking to a few of the girls, Blaine was on the other side of the room with Finn, Sam, and a few of the other New Directions boys. “Alright, Anderson,” Puck began. “I’m gonna need you to settle a debate for me. Is Hummel a top or a bottom?”

Blaine opened his mouth to reply but stopped when he heard Kurt’s voice in his head. _ ** <<**Don’t you dare answer that! **> >**_

Kurt’s warning wasn’t a command, so Blaine was still able to reply to the question. But instead of giving Puck a direct answer, Blaine asked, “What makes you think I have knowledge of that information?”

“Uh, yeah,” Finn agreed, giving Puck a confused grimace. “How’s he supposed to know that?”

“Well, if he and Kurt are having sex, the answer should be obvious,” Artie supplied, rolling his eyes at Finn.

“I don’t think they are, dude,” Finn replied. “You think my mom and Burt would be okay with Blaine sleeping over so much if they were? Besides, he sleeps on an _air mattress_ whenever he spends the night. I’ve seen him use it.”

Puck looked over at Blaine, appalled. “You mean to tell me you’ve been dating him for a _month_ and you haven’t fucked him yet? I know Hummel is a little ice princess, but what the hell is taking you so long?”

Blaine glared at Puck while trying to calm himself down. In an eerily calm voice with a sinister grin on his face, Blaine replied, “Do yourself a favor: _never_ call my boyfriend an ice princess ever again.”

Puck reacted to the threat with a mixture of shock and confusion; but before he could say anything in reply, Kurt walked over and interrupted them. Placing a calming hand on Blaine’s arm, Kurt looked around the group of boys. To Blaine, he silently commented, _**< <**Honey, please don’t threaten anyone here for using slightly inappropriate nicknames for me. They mean well. They just have an odd way of showing it. **> >**_ Then he spoke aloud to the group, “So, what are you boys talking about over here?”

Blaine smiled at Kurt then kissed him on the cheek. “We’re just talking about how much I love and respect you. And how you are the most compassionate person I’ve ever met,” he answered in an overly sweet voice while batting his eyelashes innocently.

“Mmhmm,” Kurt hummed, unconvinced. “Keep talking…”

“Well, I was just about to add how you are also the most beautiful man in the entire world too,” Blaine added. “You’re kind and generous; caring and _forgiving_ … And did I mention that I love you?”

Puck snickered into his hand. “Oh, you are so whipped!”

“Since when is complimenting my boyfriend evidence of being whipped?” Blaine asked, confused.

“When you’re kissing his ass like _that_ , it is,” Puck scoffed.

Blaine leaned back to check out Kurt’s ass then smirked while shrugging. “Can’t help it. That is an ass that _deserves_ to be kissed.”

“Blaine, honey,” Kurt said, in a dangerously sweet voice, “if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop talking.”

Blaine pouted at Kurt, giving him puppy dog eyes. _**< <**But it’s true! Your ass is just so perfect. It deserves love and attention. And I really, really enjoy kissing it – literally and figuratively. **> >**_

**_< <_** _That may be so, but you don’t need to share that information with my friends; especially Puck, **> >**_ Kurt argued, giving Blaine a challenging glare.

_**< <**Fine, **> >**_ he agreed, reluctantly, while sighing and turning his attention back to the group of boys.

“What did I tell ya!? Whipped!” Puck exclaimed, laughing. Blaine just shrugged in response. “So, Hummel,” Puck continued, “when you gonna let Blainey-boy here in your pants, huh? I think he deserves a little action after all that sucking up, don’t you? Maybe you can repay him with some sucking of your own, if you know what I mean.”

“Dude!” Finn exclaimed, cutting Puck off. “Lay off them, will ya? Maybe they don’t want do that stuff yet.”

“What? Why wouldn’t they?” Puck replied. “Look, I’m just trying to help the midget get laid. It’s obvious he wants to do Hummel, or he wouldn’t have been checking out his ass like that. And I think getting laid would be good for Hummel; help him loosen up.”

_**< <**Let me handle this, **> >**_Blaine told Kurt.

_**< <**Fine; but no violence, **> >**_ Kurt agreed.

“Puck,” Blaine began, “just because I appreciate the way Kurt looks in a pair of skinny jeans doesn’t mean I want to rip them off of him. I know where Kurt stands on the issue of sex – his thoughts and feelings about it – and I agree with him; I feel the same way he does. No amount of peer pressure is going to change that. And I happen to like Kurt the way he is; I don’t think he needs to ‘loosen up’ at all.”

“Oh god,” Puck replied, rolling his eyes. “No wonder you two got together. You’re both prudes.”

“I think it’s sweet,” Mercedes interjected, having heard their conversation. “Finding someone who feels the same way you do, and isn’t going to pressure you into doing something just because other people think you should be doing it. Not a lot of guys would do that.”

\---

After the group dispersed, Santana approached Kurt and Blaine. “I’m calling bullshit on that ‘we aren’t fucking’ thing you’re trying convince everyone else of. I’m part bloodhound; I can smell sex a mile away. And the two of you…are _covered_ in the stench.”

“Santana,” Kurt sighed, “you may be a bitch, but you’re _not_ part bloodhound. Also, you can think whatever you want to think; but we weren’t trying to convince anyone of anything. People offered their opinions, but we never confirmed or denied anything being said.”

Santana paused, looking contemplative. “Oh. My. God,” she replied, slowly. “You’re right…oh, you guys are sneaky little bastards! Your pretty pony over here only said that you share the same opinions; he never said what those opinions were. Everyone just assumed that meant you aren’t sleeping together because _Finn_ said you weren’t. But wait…what about that ‘ _just because I like the way he looks in skinny jeans doesn’t mean I wanna take them off him_ ’ thing you were spewing?”

“What about it?” Blaine asked. “It’s true. This may come as a shock to you, but not all relationships revolve around sex. I mean, there has been plenty of times where I’ve thought Kurt looked absolutely _gorgeous_ in an outfit he was wearing, and yet, I did not feel the urge to remove his clothes from his body.”

“And if I’m reading between the lines correctly – which, of course, I am,” she began, smirking, “there’s also been plenty of times where you _have_ felt the urge to rip his clothes off. So, I’m right? You really are fucking?” Kurt could only shrug in response while Blaine whistled innocently, avoiding eye contact. “I knew it!” Santana shouted. “I bet you guys are into all kinds of kinky stuff too, huh? I mean, Lady Lips here used to come to school wearing _bondage_ gear.”

“Really?” Blaine said, looking at Kurt in shock. _**< <**You didn’t bring any bondage gear home when you packed your stuff. Well, except for that cock cage you already had in your overnight bag. Did you leave your bondage gear at your dad’s? Or do you no longer have it? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Why? You wanna play? **> >**_ Kurt replied, flirtatiously, to the silent question. To the question asked aloud, he shrugged and answered, “It was a fashion statement. I liked the way it looked.”

_**< <**Hell yes, I wanna play! **> >**_ Blaine told him.

“Please,” Santana scoffed. “The only _‘statement’_ you’re making by wearing harnesses, corsets, collars, chains, and animal tails out in public is that you are a kinky motherfucker. And the fact that you _didn’t_ wear some kind of fashion accessory to hide that giant hickey on your neck is proof of that.”

_**< <**How is that hickey still there by the way? **> >**_ Blaine asked. He gently ran his thumb over the bruise, smiling softly at Kurt. _**< <**I didn’t bite you with my fangs, so it should have healed up by now. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Magic, **> >**_he replied. _**< <**I liked the way it looked and didn’t want to cover it; so I had to make a choice between using magic to make it go away or make it last longer – that way people wouldn’t ask questions when it suddenly healed up and vanished on its own. **> >**_

**_< <_** _You are a genius, and I love you, **> > **_Blaine told him.

“Alright, that’s enough of that,” Santana said, pushing Blaine’s hand away from Kurt’s neck – where he was still stroking Kurt’s hickey with his thumb. “Nobody wants to see you two get your freak on. Maybe if there was alcohol at this lame party, that’d be a different story. But Berry has a strict no-fun-allowed policy; which is why her parties suck. I only came because Brit wanted to hang out with Lady Hummel.” She then rolled her eyes and walked away.

“So…this bondage gear Santana mentioned…?” Blaine prompted, quietly, as soon as he and Kurt were alone again.

“It’s all in my closet at my dad’s house,” Kurt answered. “Maybe I’ll show you my collection when we go back there tonight.”

“Yes. Please,” he encouraged.

\---

The remainder of the party was relatively uneventful. The boys sang a few songs, talked with friends, and shared a very sweet kiss at midnight to ring in the new year. Before everyone left for the night, Tina and Mercedes apologized to both Kurt and Blaine for allowing Rachel to plant a seed of doubt about Blaine. The girls had said that, after speaking with both boys all night while closely watching their interactions – as well as how they spoke and acted while apart – they realized that Rachel’s accusations were completely baseless; and that they could tell that Blaine genuinely cared very deeply for Kurt. They told the boys that they hoped they would see them both again before Regionals.

“Well,” Blaine began, “my birthday is in a little over a month. Maybe you guys could come down to Westerville to celebrate with us?”

“That sounds like fun,” Tina agreed.

“Wait a second,” Rachel said, having overheard the tail end of their conversation. “I thought Kurt said you were already sixteen? How can your birthday be coming up soon? How old are you turning?”

“I’ll be seventeen in early February,” Blaine answered, apprehensively. “Why?”

“You’re turning _seventeen_ and you’re only a _Sophomore_?” she asked. “Doesn’t that mean you won’t graduate until you’re _nineteen_? Most people are _barely_ even eighteen when they get their highschool diploma; you’re going to be halfway to _twenty_ almost!”

Blaine sighed before answering. “I know. I should be a Junior, but because of the odd way the Westerville School System does their cut off dates for enrollment, _plus_ the fact that my parents kept me at home for an extra year, I ended up starting school a year later than others in my age bracket.”

“Why were you kept at home?” Rachel asked.

“Personal reasons,” he replied.

_**< <**Werewolf reasons? **> >**_ Kurt wondered.

_**< <**Yes, **> >**_ Blaine told him.

“Such as…?” Rachel prompted him.

“Hey, Rachel,” Sam said, interjecting himself into the conversation. “ _‘Personal’_ usually means it’s none of your business. And it’s not like it’s uncommon or anything. I’m turning seventeen in April and I’m only a Sophomore. Kurt’s turning eighteen in May and he’s only a Junior. Stuff happens. Not everything is a conspiracy.”

“It’s just a little unusual is all,” Rachel replied, putting her hands up defensively, while trying to sound casual.

“You know,” Kurt began, looking straight at Rachel, “I thought when you came to my house to apologize for judging Blaine, that you said you would stop looking for flaws; that’d you stop correlating him with Jesse. Blaine _isn’t_ using me to sabotage New Directions; in fact, he’s not using me _at all_. And after everything that was said and done today, for you to _still_ believe that he is… You know what that tells me? It tells me that you think that I’m so completely _undesirable_ , that the _only_ way anyone would want to date me is if they were using me as a means to an end – and not because they actually cared about me. Yeah…you’re such a _great_ friend. Thanks for that vote of confidence.” He turned to Blaine, giving him a slight tug on his arm. “Come on. My dad said he was gonna wait up for us to get home. I don’t want to keep him awake longer than necessary.” The two boys then grabbed their coats and left.

\---

Once the boys were alone in Kurt’s old bedroom, Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt, cuddling him on the bed. “I can’t believe her,” Kurt murmured, burying his face in Blaine’s shoulder. “I was actually enjoying myself until she went and ruined it at the last minute.”

“I know, sweetie,” Blaine said, gently rubbing Kurt’s back. “But I’m going to help you forget all about her, okay?”

“I don’t think I’m really in the mood for sex right now; but thanks anyway,” Kurt replied.

“Who said anything about sex?” Blaine asked him. “It’s my job as both your soulmate and your Alpha to take care of you. Let me help you.”

“Okay,” he agreed, smiling softly at his mate.

“Good,” Blaine said. “Now strip. Everything. Take it all off.”

Kurt gave him a confused look. “What? I thought you said we weren’t going to have sex?”

“Kurt, baby…trust me,” he said, giving Kurt an earnest look.

“I do, but…” Kurt sighed as he trailed off, still giving Blaine a questioning look.

“Then do as you’re told, and _strip_ ,” he Alpha-commanded. Kurt immediately stood up and began removing all his clothing. Blaine gave him a soft kiss. “Good boy.”

Once Kurt was completely naked, Blaine had Kurt lie down on the bed on his stomach. “I want you to just clear your head, okay? No thinking. I’ll use our bond to monitor your physical and emotional health. You just lay here, relax, and let me worry about everything.”

Blaine removed his own shirt, then retrieved a bottle of Kurt’s chamomile scented body lotion. Bringing the bottle back over to the bed, he straddled Kurt – gently sitting down on Kurt’s ass – then squeezed a small amount of lotion into his hand. Blaine then began to massage the lotion into Kurt’s upper back and shoulders.

“Oh, that feels good,” Kurt moaned, quietly.

“See?” Blaine teased, playfully. “I know what I’m doing. Now, shush and enjoy.”

“Yes, Alpha,” he replied, cheekily.

While Blaine massaged Kurt, he not only used his bond to monitor Kurt, but to make sure that Kurt could feel how much he loved and cared for him. He wanted Kurt to feel cherished and adored, desired and wanted, and to know how precious he was to Blaine.

As he felt Kurt relax below him, Blaine began to move his hands lower – shifting his massage from Kurt’s upper back to his lower back – while placing small kisses on Kurt’s shoulder blades and neck. He then moved further down Kurt’s body, kissed his way down Kurt’s spine, and started to massage his legs.

Blaine continued to work his massage down the length of Kurt’s body – placing small kisses along the way – until he was on his knees on the floor at the foot of the bed, giving Kurt a foot rub. “Feeling better?”

Kurt moaned into the pillow while nodding his head. _**< <**That feels incredible. **> >**_

“Can you flip over onto your back for me?” Blaine asked, getting up onto his feet.

“Huh? Why?” Kurt replied, timidly.

“So I can continue my massage, of course,” Blaine told him.

Kurt took a deep breath before rolling over onto his back, his face scrunched up in embarrassment. Blaine let out a quiet giggle at Kurt’s expression. “Oh, honey…” he cooed at Kurt. “Why are you embarrassed? Because you’re hard? That’s nothing to get embarrassed over.”

“But I said I wasn’t in the mood for sex…” Kurt told him.

Blaine crawled up Kurt’s body until they were face-to-face with one another. He smiled at Kurt fondly. “And you’re still not,” he said, finishing Kurt’s sentence for him. “Honey, I can literally feel your emotions. You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I know the difference between being aroused and being horny. Just because your body had a physical reaction to my touch, doesn’t mean we have to have sex.” Blaine pressed a quick kiss to Kurt’s lips before continuing, “And as cute as you are…and as _tempting_ as that gorgeous cock of yours is…I promise you, my motives for this massage are purely innocent. I just want to help you relax and feel good; take your mind off of everything. So…may I continue now?”

“On one condition,” he said, giving Blaine a flirty look. He tapped his lips with his index finger. “I need another kiss first.”

“You drive a hard bargain,” Blaine replied, playfully, before leaning in to give Kurt a sweet open-mouthed kiss. When the kiss broke, he smiled at his mate then gave him another quick peck on the lips. “I love you.” Blaine then moved toward the end of the bed, so he could begin massaging Kurt’s ankles.

\---

When Blaine had completed his massage, he laid down on the bed next to Kurt and wrapped his arms around his mate. “Thank you,” Kurt told him. “Not just for the massage, but the emotional support you were giving me too.”

“I will always support you,” Blaine said. “Letting you feel my emotions – how I feel about you – it’s not a hardship for me. I _want_ you to know how much I love you; how much I care about you. You _deserve_ to feel wanted; admired; desired. And you shouldn’t allow anyone to make you feel like you’re not. Because I honestly feel like, even if we weren’t soulmates – if we were just ordinary human teenagers – I would still find you incredibly attractive; I would still see all the amazing qualities you possess. I would still want to be with you. And if you don’t believe me, think about your friends for a second; your _real_ friends, and your brother – Finn, Mercedes, Tina, Sam…practically everyone from New Directions. _None_ of them have a supernatural bond with you, and yet they _all_ still love you. They all know how smart and talented you really are. They also know that Kurt Hummel is a strong, loyal, compassionate, and fashionable young man; and _anyone_ would consider themselves lucky to call you their friend – to have you in their life. I mean, you heard them at the party tonight…telling me that I better treat you right; that I’d have to answer to them if I ever did anything to break your heart or hurt you in any way. I’ve never been happier to be threatened than I was tonight. Because I could tell it was _honestly_ coming from a place of caring for you; and not of distrust for me. They want you to be happy. You _deserve_ to be happy.”

Kurt looked at Blaine with watery eyes, and a bright smile on his face. “Well…” he began, playfully, “Mercedes _did_ have a crush on me before she found out I was gay, so I guess you do have a point.”

“The girl has good taste,” Blaine replied, smiling. He then attempted an intimidating glare and added, “She also had the good sense to back off her pursuit of my man.”

Kurt giggled at him. “You know I could never want anyone but you.” He then kissed Blaine softly before sighing contentedly. “Make love to me?”

Blaine looked him in the eyes and tapped into their bond to test Kurt’s sincerity. “If that’s what you really want, then who am I to deny you?” He quickly shucked off his pants before rolling on top of Kurt, placing tender kisses all over his face and neck.

“Can we…” Kurt began, breathlessly. “I want feel you – your emotions – while we...”

“You want us to be connected with our bond,” Blaine said, finishing Kurt’s thought.

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “Like, a _deep_ connection though; deeper than when you were giving me a massage a few minutes ago.”

“Your wish is my command,” Blaine replied, before kissing Kurt again while intensifying their connection with one another. He took his time kissing Kurt while gently rutting against him to revive both of their arousals. Blaine made sure to pour all of his love for Kurt into every kiss and touch they shared.

Eventually, Blaine gave into the overwhelming need to be inside of his mate. Borrowing a small amount of magic from Kurt, he ran a finger around the rim of Kurt’s hole to relax the muscle as well as lubricate the area. Lining up his cock with Kurt’s hole, Blaine slowly pushed his way into him.

Kurt turned his head and moaned quietly into his pillow. “We have to be quiet,” he told Blaine, once Blaine had bottomed out. “Everyone’s asleep and I didn’t put up a sound barrier and…oh, that feels good…and I can’t really think straight enough to do it now.”

Blaine let out a quiet giggle before replying, “Well then, I guess I’m just going to have to find a way to keep that noisy mouth of yours occupied.” He captured Kurt’s lips with his own, kissing him passionately, while thrusting and rotating his hips at a leisurely pace.

The boys took their time – sharing emotions, soft touches, gentle kisses, and quiet declarations of love – as they made love to one another. Blaine eventually ended up having to Alpha-command Kurt to be silent because he was finding it difficult not to moan loudly at the pleasure he was experiencing; but that didn’t stop Kurt from expressing his enjoyment with loud telepathic shouts of ecstasy. Eventually, both boys began to feel their approaching orgasms.

Blaine arched his back and tossed his head backwards, letting out a loud high-frequency howl as he climaxed. Kurt was quick to follow, opening his mouth to scream, but having no sound escape; though Blaine was able to hear him telepathically shouting Blaine’s name.

Blaine then collapsed on top of Kurt, taking a quick moment to catch his breath, before pulling out and moving onto the bed, cuddling into Kurt’s side. Once he was comfortable, he released Kurt from his earlier command.

“I told you we had to be quiet!” Kurt whisper-shouted at Blaine. “My whole family is home and asleep. What if they heard that?”

“Unless your family has superhuman hearing,” he began, “they didn’t hear a thing. Those barking dogs next door did, but no human can hear a frequency that high. And unlike you, I was being really good about keeping quiet…until the end, that is. I could feel that howl building up, but I couldn’t suppress it. I tried. So, I just altered the frequency of it instead. It’s really not my fault that you make me feel so incredibly good.”

“Oh…you can do that?” Kurt wondered. “Change the frequency of your voice?”

“Alphas can,” he confirmed. “You probably can too. It’s because of how we give commands. Remember I told you that your voice splits into two channels when you give a command? A high-pitched frequency that werewolves hear, and your regular voice that everyone hears? With training, you can learn to use just the higher frequency without your regular voice accompanying it. But enough about that.” Blaine gave Kurt a sweet, gentle kiss on the lips. “We really should get some sleep. It’s already after 3:00am.”

Kurt yawned widely in response then cuddled closer to his mate. “Yeah, I could use a nap before we have to drive home later. Goodnight, Blaine.”

“Good night, baby. I love you,” Blaine replied, giving Kurt another kiss. “And happy New Year.”


	12. Chapter 12

As Kurt was driving back to Westerville, Tuesday afternoon, Blaine called Wes to check in on everything. “Blaine, hey, how was your weekend?” Wes said, upon answering his phone.

“For the most part it was okay,” Blaine told him. “But there were definitely parts we could have done without.”

“Oh, no,” Wes sighed. “What happened?”

“It was nothing major,” he replied. “Other than Kurt having to command me from dismembering the bully that forced his transfer, it was mostly just Rachel giving Kurt and I a hard time all weekend. But that’s not why I’m calling. First, how are things going in Westerville? I assume since I didn’t get any urgent phone calls or texts that everything with the pack is good?”

“Yeah, yeah, we’re all doing great over here,” Wes confirmed. “We all spent New Year’s Eve at David’s house. It was a fairly uneventful, yet fun, evening.”

“That’s good,” Blaine said. “The other reason I’m calling…Kurt and I are on our way home right now. We should be arriving in about an hour or so. I was wondering if you and the rest of the pack wouldn’t mind coming by our place later, after we get home? With your laptops? I’ve got a little project I could use some help with.”

“Sounds intriguing,” he replied. “What kind of project?”

“Kurt found a box full of CD-ROMs in his attic,” Blaine began. “Supposedly, they all contain his mom’s research notes and published articles – maybe even some completed articles that she wrote that never got published too. We just wanted to know if you’d like to help us look through them and sort everything out. You know, label and organize everything; separate all her human history research from her werewolf history stuff.”

“Are…” Wes started, pausing to take a few deep breaths. “Are you telling me that you think you have the entire collected works of E.J. Beauchamp in your possession? And you want _me_ to help review it all?”

“Yeah; you and the others,” Blaine said, trying not to let the smirk on his face be too noticeable in his voice. “I know it’s a tedious process, but like I said, there’s a whole packing box full of discs to go through. We just thought the 7 of us would accomplish the task faster than if Kurt and I did it by ourselves. There’s also a bunch of paperwork, and printed journal publications we need to go through as well.”

“I can’t speak for the rest of the pack, but I am more than willing to help out,” he replied, enthusiastically. “I’ll let the others know. See what they have to say. But I don’t think they would take a pass on this opportunity.”

“Great!” Blaine said. “Give us a few minutes to get settled in after we arrive though; like, about twenty minutes or so? We need to check in with Cooper and Caitlin once we’re home. If Cooper’s plans didn’t get screwed up, they should have some good news to share with us. So, we’ll see you at our place in like… two-ish hours? Is that okay?”

“Sounds good to me!” Wes told him. “I’ll send you a text before I leave my house, so you’ll know when to expect me and who else is coming.”

“Thanks, Wes,” Blaine replied. “And don’t forget: tell everyone to bring their laptop with them.”

\---

Once they were home, and the car was unloaded, Blaine and Kurt walked up the stairs into the main floor of his parents’ house. “We’re back!” he called out, stepping into the hallway off of the kitchen.

“Hey, honey, how was your weekend?” Pam asked, from the living room.

The boys walked into the other room and took a seat on the couch. “Other than a couple of minor, unpleasant incidents, the weekend was really nice. Kurt bought a _ton_ of clothes and other stuff while shopping with the girls from New Directions; I must have taken at _least_ 20 shopping bags off his hands when I left the mall – _several_ hours before he did – so that he could continue to shop without the burden of all his purchases. Sam and I took his little siblings to see a movie then we went back to his place and played video games for a few hours. I met Sam’s parents too; his whole family is so nice. And then Kurt and I had fun hanging out with Kurt’s old glee club on New Year’s Eve and spending some quality time with his family. It was fun.” He looked around the room and asked, “Where is everyone?”

“Your father is out running a few errands and should be home in a few minutes,” she told him. “And Cooper and Caitlin are still out at the cabin. Cooper texted us to let us know they wouldn’t be back until after dinner.”

“Aw, man,” Blaine whined. “I was hoping I didn’t see your car out front because he’d parked in the garage. I wanted to hear about what happened last night.”

“Cooper’s text said that they would share the story when they got back; but all we need to know now is that she said ‘yes’,” Pam replied.

“Well, _obviously_ , she said yes!” Blaine said, rolling his eyes. “They’re _soulmates_. And they’ve already had a Unification Ceremony to boot. I just want to hear about how he asked, and how she reacted. I want to know about the non-sexual things they did to celebrate. And I want to see the ring. I know dad was holding it for Coop, but I haven’t been able to get dad alone to show it to me. Caitlin always seemed to be here whenever I tried to ask him.”

Pam giggled at her youngest son. “Sorry, sweetie; you’re going to have to wait until they get back to hear the whole story.”

“Ugh, fine,” he agreed, reluctantly. “Well, the pack is going to be here somewhat soon, to help us with a little project, so we should probably go back downstairs and get everything ready for that.”

“What kind of project are you working on?” she asked, curiously.

“Going through and organizing the box full of computer discs containing Kurt’s mom’s journal articles and research notes,” he answered.

“You have a box of all her work?” Pam asked, sounding surprised.

“We think we do anyway,” Kurt replied. “Unfortunately, the only labels on any of the discs are dates. And all of the printed work that is in the box seems to be a mixture of both werewolf and human history research, so I’d assume the discs contain both as well.”

“Sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you,” she said. “When it comes time, I’ll bring you boys some dinner, so you don’t forget to eat. Oh, and I did some grocery shopping while you were in Lima, and stocked up your kitchen; so there are plenty of snacks and drinks downstairs for you to munch on in the meantime.”

Blaine got up off the couch and hugged his mother. “Thank you, momma. You’re the best. I love you.”

“Love you too, Blainey-bear.” She motioned her head toward the stairwell and playfully added, “Now get outta here, and go make sure you get everything ready for your visitors.”

Blaine saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”

\---

“This is _fascinating_!” Wes said, reading another article off the disc he’d been trying to organize and label.

Nick rolled his eyes at him. “You’ve said that about every single file you’ve opened on that disc.”

“I can’t help it!” he replied. “There’s just so much interesting information here about how region affects society, culture, and customs; and about all the changes and adaptations in localized cultures throughout the past several decades… It’s just incredible.”

“We get it, Wes,” David chimed in, in lighthearted exasperation. “You’re a history buff. But we’re supposed to be organizing everything right now, not giving everything an in-depth read-through. So, just quickly skim the files to determine if it’s werewolf or human; source material, notes, or completed article; then label it and move on to the next one. The discs aren’t going anywhere. You can read everything later.”

Wes sighed, but reluctantly agreed, then got back to work.

A couple of hours later, Pam interrupted the boys with dinner. “Dinner’s ready,” she told them, as Blaine opened the door to let her in. She walked in with a large casserole dish in her hands and placed it on the kitchen counter when she noticed the table was covered in laptops, magazines, and loose sheets of paper. “Blaine, honey, there’s more upstairs. Will you come help me bring it down?”

“Yeah, of course, mom,” he agreed.

The two of them retrieved the remainder of the food and brought it down to Blaine’s kitchen. Kurt provided the pack with plates and cutlery, as well as serving utensils; and the boys began dishing out the food.

“How’s everything going?” Pam asked, motioning toward the scattered piles on top of the kitchen table.

Blaine shrugged. “Pretty good, I guess. There’s just a lot to go through. Right now we’re just trying to organize it all. We’ll go through it a little more in-depth later on. Kurt really only wanted it because he was hoping it would help him learn more about his mom and make him feel more connected to her.”

“Well, I hope you find what you’re looking for,” she replied, smiling at Kurt.

“Thanks,” Kurt replied. “From the little I’ve read of it so far, I do feel like I understand my mom a little better. And that’s really all I ever wanted.”

Smiling at his answer, Pam gave a small nod of understanding. “I’ll let you boys eat now.”

\---

After dinner, the boys took a break from organizing and sat down to watch some movies. “This may sound ridiculously cheesy,” Blaine began, addressing the group while still keeping an eye on the TV. “But I think the Warblers could totally rock this song.”

“You want the Warblers to sing the songs from _High School Musical_?” Kurt asked, skeptically.

“Okay, first of all,” Blaine said, turning toward his mate, “this is _High School Musical 3_ , not _High School Musical_. Secondly, I said _this song_ , not the whole soundtrack. Listen to it. I think it would work really well as an a cappella song. It’s got a great rhythm section that I think the boys could do some really amazing things with vocally.” He rewound the movie to the beginning of the song _‘The Boys Are Back’_ , and made Kurt listen to it again.

When the song finished, David spoke up. “As ridiculous as it sounds, I’m going to agree with Blaine here. The song does sound like it would make for a really interesting a cappella version. And it could be seen as a fun play-on-words type of thing with Dalton being an all-boys school too.”

“But what kind of choreography would we do to it?” Wes asked. “It doesn’t really extend itself to our usual dance style.”

“Well, if you don’t mind me interjecting…” Kurt began. He noticed the other boys motioning him to continue, so he pressed forward, “I noticed during that freestyle session we had right before break, that the Warblers have some _incredible_ dancers; some of which are in this very room. And if we want to beat New Directions at Regionals, we’re going to have to up our game. If we do this song, we could take a lot of the choreography from the movie – the jumps, the flips, the spins – and incorporate that. Obviously, we won’t be copying everything step-for-step, but sprinkle in some of the moves here-and-there, you know?”

“Okay, but not everyone in the Warblers would be able to do that type of choreography,” Wes replied. “We could probably do some of the stomps and hand clapping moves, but not the flips and kicks.”

“That’s why we don’t have everyone do it,” Kurt said. Wes squinted at him, so he elaborated, “You remember the second song New Directions did at Sectionals, right? They had Brittany and Mike dancing a separate routine out in front of everyone – sort of like how Blaine is usually in front of the Warblers doing a slightly different routine from the rest of us while he sings. The Warblers could hold _dance_ auditions for anyone in the group that wants to be a featured performer. We could have, like, three or four guys out in front of the group – or maybe two on each side or something – and have them doing all the big, flashy dance moves; while the rest of the group moves around the stage doing simpler choreography, such as the stomps, claps, and other easier dance steps.”

“I like that idea,” Blaine agreed.

“Yeah, me too,” Jeff added.

“If we do this song,” Trent began, hesitantly, “would it be a solo? Or should we make it a dual-lead, like it is in the movie?”

“Personally, I vote for a dual-lead,” Kurt replied. “I know that’s not the Warblers’ usual style, but I think it works better for the song. And, like I said before, if we want to beat the New Directions, we really have to pull out all the punches. Maybe Blaine and Nick could sing lead? Or… we can really showcase the talent in the group by doing _two_ sets of dual-leads that switch in and out? Like the song will start with Blaine and Nick, and switch to Trent and Greg or whoever, then back again? Or something? And maybe David and Jeff could be two of the featured dancers? Like I said, I know that’s not the Warblers’ usual style, but there are _so_ many talented people in the group, and not a lot of opportunities to showcase that.”

Blaine gave Kurt a confused look. “You don’t want to nominate yourself for one of the vocal spots?”

“Normally, I would,” he began, “but I don’t think my voice really fits the style of this particular song. I could help with the choreography though; I was a cheerleader after all. However… I’d love to audition for a _different_ solo or featured spot though.”

“I know that look,” Blaine said, smirking at his mate. “You already have an idea for a song you want to perform, don’t you?”

“Maaayyybe?” he said, dragging out the word, attempting to be coy.

“What song is it?” Wes asked.

“You’re probably going to laugh at me for this,” Kurt began.

“Hey, if we are actually considering Blaine’s _High School Musical_ suggestion, you don’t have anything to worry about,” David told him.

Kurt chuckled at that before responding, “Okay, well, I was thinking…about half of the guys in the Warblers are werewolves. Why don’t we sing something that sort of reflects that? Kind of like a private joke that no one except us would understand?”

“Like what?” Nick asked.

“LeAnn Rimes; _‘Can’t Fight The Moonlight’_ ,” he suggested.

“I don’t think I know that song,” Blaine replied.

Kurt looked at his mate in shock. “How? How do you not know that? You’ve seen the movie _Coyote Ugly_ before, right?”

“No?” Blaine answered, apprehensively.

“Oh my god, Blaine!” Kurt shouted. “I can’t believe you. We are watching that tonight. And you will love it. Because I said so.”

“Yes, Monseigneur,” Blaine replied, nodding while rolling his eyes fondly. “Whatever you want, babe.”

Kurt went and got his laptop from the kitchen then brought it over to the coffee table. He paused their movie before opening up YouTube. “Here. Listen to the song. You’ll see what I mean. About the whole private joke thing, as well as it being perfect for my voice.”

When the song ended, Nick replied, “That really is kind of perfect. It even hints at magic.”

“Yeah…” Wes agreed, contemplatively. “You know, I think the Warblers might be able to turn that into a really cool sounding ballad. Obviously, all of this is just speculative. The council would have to discuss everything together, and auditions would have to be held; but I think when we return to rehearsals after break, we’ll maybe test out the reception to these ideas. See what everyone thinks. It’s definitely something to consider though.”

“I know you guys need to talk to Thad and everything – that the Warblers have proper channels they need to go through – but I _really_ think stepping outside of the Warblers’ comfort zone is the _only_ way we’re going to take down the New Directions,” Kurt replied. “This is _Regionals_. The competition is going to be tougher. And New Directions know how to get the job done. They work well under pressure. And, as much as I love my friends and my brother, I would love to have a bigger part in helping to _stop_ them from advancing on to Nationals. I want to make Rachel Berry cry.”

“I know Blaine said she was giving you a hard time this weekend,” Wes began, “but what did she do? You just seem to have a lot more animosity toward her that usual.”

“Well,” he said, “for starters, she thinks that because Jesse used her in his attempts to sabotage New Directions on behalf of Vocal Adrenaline, that Blaine _must_ be doing the same thing with me on behalf of the Warblers. That there is no possible way that anyone could ever actually be interested in me romantically; that he _has_ to have an ulterior motive for dating me. Then there’s the fact that she tried to convince my friends and my brother that Blaine was abusing me; and that I’m just so completely _desperate_ for a boyfriend that I allow it to happen.”

“Wes,” David said, clenching his teeth, “we need to show this Rachel girl that she’s messing with the wrong pack. I think we _have_ to feature Kurt at Regionals somehow; even if it’s just a few lines of a song and not an entire solo.”

All of the other boys in the room agreed with David. “We’ll talk to Thad on Thursday and see what he says, but I think he’ll agree,” Wes replied. “Blaine is guaranteed to be featured in two competition numbers because he was voted into the lead soloist position. That leaves us with only one song where Kurt could be featured. And unfortunately, we do still have to follow protocol and hold auditions. Because the only other way to give him a featured performance _without_ an audition, would be to get a unanimous vote from the _entire_ club; and despite how amazing Kurt’s voice is, I think there may still be some holdouts on that front.”

“Well, if we do a split lead on one of the songs – like we were talking about for ‘ _The Boys Are Back_ ’ – then that gives more opportunity not only for Kurt to be featured somewhere, but other guys in the club too; and Blaine still gets featured on two songs,” David said.

“Personally, I think you would sound _amazing_ on that song; and would happily _give_ you one of my allotted solo slots if I could,” Blaine told Kurt, smiling at him softly.

Kurt scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Of course I would sound amazing! But if you think for one second, that giving me compliments while batting those pretty little eyes of yours at me, is going to get you out of watching that movie later, then you are dead wrong.”

Blaine giggled, then straddled Kurt’s lap. “I would never do such a thing. _Maybe_ I just like complimenting you.” He leaned in and captured Kurt’s lips with his own. The kiss only lasted a few short seconds, before Blaine pulled back, giving Kurt a fond smile and a few bunny kisses. “And kissing you.” He gave Kurt another quick kiss then added, “Yup; I _really_ like kissing you.”

“If you weren’t so darn cute, I’d be angry at you for trying to distract me,” Kurt replied.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said before placing kisses all along Kurt’s neck and jaw.

Nick sighed, picked up the remote for the TV, and resumed their movie, so it’d be easier to ignore the couple.

\---

As soon as the movie ended, the boys began discussing Regionals again. Kurt pulled up the New Directions YouTube channel that Rachel ran, and began to show the boys the types of things that they could potentially face at Regionals.

The interior apartment door swung open and Cooper and Caitlin walked in. “Guess who got engaged!” Cooper cheered, interrupting their discussion.

Cooper held his arms open as Blaine hopped off of the couch and ran over to them. “Let me see the ring!” he said, excitedly, reaching for Caitlin’s left hand.

“What, no hug? No congratulations?” Cooper said, staring at his brother in disbelief.

“Congratulations, Cooper,” Kurt called out, from where he was still seated on the couch.

“Thank you, Kurt,” Cooper replied. “At least someone has manners around here.”

“Oh, shush!” Blaine told his brother. “You have known I’ve wanted to see this ring since the day you bought it. And I already congratulated you when you told me were planning on proposing.”

“You congratulated me on an idea,” Cooper said. “I want a congratulations on the _execution_ of that idea.”

Blaine rolled his eyes. “Congrats, Coop. And speaking of the execution of this idea… I want to hear the whole story – minus any sexual details.”

“Okay, so first, I had mom take Caity with her while she ran some last-minute errands to get ready for that party her and dad were going to,” Cooper began. “While they were out, I did some quick shopping of my own then went up to the cabin to set everything up. I had flowers, battery-operated candles, champagne, chocolate covered strawberries – _the works_. Anyway, I placed the open ring box in the middle of all of that on the kitchen table with one of those little place card holder thingies behind it holding a card that said, ‘will you marry me?’ on it.”

Caitlin took over the rest of the story. “I _knew_ he was up to something, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I thought maybe he wasn’t telling me the whole truth about having gotten permission to spend New Year’s on the campgrounds. But when we finally got to the cabin, and I saw everything, I froze in shock. He picked up the ring box, then took my hand and got down on one knee, and gave the most beautiful, heartfelt speech I have ever heard. I didn’t even know Cooper was capable of saying such things. There were tears running down my face; I was a complete mess. But I managed to squeak out a ‘yes’, and then…well, you said you don’t want to hear the rest,” she finished, winking at Blaine.

“Aww, I’m so happy for you guys,” Blaine cooed, before giving each of them a hug.

After the rest of the pack offered the couple their own congratulations, Cooper looked over into the kitchen with a puzzled look on his face. “What is all that over there? You guys wait until the last-minute to start all the homework you were supposed to do over break?”

“No; Dalton doesn’t issue homework over breaks – not even in the dual-semester classes,” Blaine replied.

“So what is that then?” Cooper asked.

“ _That_ ,” Wes began, with an excited grin, “is the entire collected works of E.J. Beauchamp. We’re trying to organize all of it, so it will be easier to catalog.”

“Are you serious?!” Caitlin exclaimed. “I absolutely _love_ his work! How on earth did you get your hands on his entire collection? There are so many hoops and protocols to go through just to get ahold of _one_ article; I can’t imagine what you’d have to do to secure his entire collection.”

“ _Her_ entire collection,” Kurt replied, correcting her. “E.J. Beauchamp is my mother. I inherited all of that after she passed away. No hoops or protocols necessary.”

“Wait, I’m confused…” Cooper began, tentatively. “You said your parents prioritized blending in with a human society and didn’t teach you much about werewolf culture? But your mom was one of the top historical researchers of werewolf communities? That doesn’t make sense.”

“My parents _did_ prioritize blending in with a human society,” Kurt told him. “For _me_. My mom already knew how to navigate the line between human and werewolf. And she never shared her research with me when I was younger because she thought it might make it harder for me to blend in with humans if I knew too much about werewolves.”

“But yet, she left all of that,” he pointed over at the table, “to you when she died?”

“Not formally – via a will – or anything like that; but yes. My father let me take all of it when I found it in the attic this weekend.” Kurt took a deep breath and silently conferred with Blaine before saying anything further. Blaine nodded in agreement with Kurt. Looking back at Cooper, Kurt continued, “I didn’t say anything before, because I didn’t want to overwhelm you guys with too much of my unconventional upbringing. I know, compared to other werewolves, the way I was raised is definitely _unusual_. But there are reasons for that. And not all of it has to do with my fur color. Part of the reason I wasn’t taught about a lot of werewolf culture is because there was no one _to_ teach me. My mom passed away when I was barely eight years old. And my dad _couldn’t_ teach me because…well, because he’s human. The only things he knows about werewolves is what my mom told him. She didn’t share much of that information with him; and he respected her privacy too much to read through any of that after she died. But since I’m a mated wolf now, living as part of a pack, he figured she wouldn’t mind if I had it.”

“Your dad is _human_? How?” Cooper wondered. “Werewolf soulmates are _always_ other werewolves. How could your mom have a _human_ soulmate? That doesn’t seem possible!”

“Yeah, ‘ _how_ ’ is right,” Caitlin chimed in. “Not only because of the soulmate thing, but because it’s literally impossible for humans and werewolves to have kids together.”

“I know,” Kurt replied. “And my dad _wasn’t_ my mom’s soulmate – obviously. But it was still her choice to mate with him. The story goes like this: my mom met her soulmate when she was 14. Her parents – and her soulmate’s parents – decided they were too young to mate. They were going to wait until their hormones reached full maturity and they felt compelled to mate. But my mom’s soulmate died about a month before that could happen. She technically never mated with him, so it was still possible for her to be with someone else. And my mom didn’t want to be alone for the rest of her life, so when she got a little older, she chose to settle down with a human – my dad.

“As for me…” Kurt continued. “Well, did you know that in vitro fertilization does not _form_ , nor does it _hinder_ , bonds? That you can be artificially inseminated with sperm of someone who is _not_ your mate and it won’t affect your bond with your mate in any way? Nor will it affect the bond of the donor and their mate at all?”

“Oh! So your dad’s not your biological dad; you don’t _actually_ have a human father,” Caitlin said, nodding in understanding.

“He raised me. He was always there for me whenever I needed someone. He sheltered me, protected me, and loved me,” Kurt said. “As far as I’m concerned, he is my father in _every_ sense of the word.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to sound the way it did. I should have worded that differently. I meant no disrespect,” Caitlin apologized. “It must have been challenging for him to raise a werewolf all on his own though; especially without a lot of knowledge of our kind.”

“It was,” he agreed. “But my dad is the best. And he did everything he could to help me and guide me. But with such limited knowledge of werewolves – and my unique genetics – prioritizing my human characteristics seemed like it was the best thing for both of us.” Kurt then looked back and forth between Cooper and Caitlin and added, “And now that you know about my dad, I guess that means I can finally mention that he got remarried not too long ago. I know Blaine and I have been trying to be careful about what we say about my family, and our visits with them. Because without knowing the whole story it’s hard to explain how my dad was able to get remarried; and why I also have a human step-mother and step-brother – Carole and Finn. Although, I often refer to Finn as my brother, rather than my step-brother; because he _feels_ like my blood family, even though he’s not. Neither Carole nor Finn have any idea whatsoever about what I am. They have no clue I’m not human.”

“ _Well_ ,” Blaine interjected, “Carole might. She obviously doesn’t know you’re a _werewolf_ , but she definitely suspects something is different about you – and us. She even straight-up told us that. Whether or not she knows you’re not human is up for debate though. You know, I’ve been thinking about this a lot…the way that Carole can read a room…her understanding of situations and people…I’m almost inclined to think she might be an empath. Her intuition is just too on-point.”

“Do you mean ‘empath’ as in someone with supernatural abilities? Or ‘empath’ as in an ordinary person who is sensitive of other people’s emotions and can easily sympathize with them?” Kurt asked.

“The supernatural kind,” Blaine answered. “Though, honestly, there isn’t much difference between the two – one just has a magically amplified ability to feel other people’s emotions.”

“Magic!?” Kurt said, alarmed, cutting him off.

“It’s _completely_ different than warlock magic,” Blaine reassured Kurt. “Empaths can’t perform spells or do anything like that. It’s a passive ability; it’s not something they can control or turn on and off at will. Basically, the only thing their magic does, is allow them to feel and experience emotions and moods of other people; and it makes them highly intuitive and extremely sensitive to others’ needs. And it’s not necessarily hereditary; it very often skips a generation or two – remains a dormant recessive trait; which could explain why Finn _isn’t_ an empath. In fact, because of the limitations of their abilities and the way it isn’t always inherited by future generations, most empaths don’t even know they have a supernatural ability; they think they’re ordinary humans who are just extra sensitive to others – because the last person to have the ability that knew what it was, passed away 3 or 4 generations ago. The family members that don’t inherit it may get told stories about their ancestors with supernatural abilities, but they are often interpreted as exaggerated old wives’ tales with no credibility.”

“Carole does seem to tick all of those boxes…” Kurt replied, quietly. “And it would explain why she seems so certain that ‘ _unknown forces_ ’ exist.” To Blaine he silently added, _**< <**Is there a way to test that theory, do you think? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Other than a blood test that can detect magic, I don’t think there is. Unless…that – oh, what’s it called again? Identification Spell? Is that it? That spell that your grandparents put on the kitchen door at Christmas to see if I had any supernatural abilities? Unless that can identify empaths too…I don’t know of any other way to find out for sure, **> >**_ Blaine suggested.

Kurt seemed to think about that for a moment then smiled. _**< <**It definitely can. Empaths have a pink aura. And Carole never crossed the threshold into the kitchen while the spell was in place. Only you, me, and Finn did. We had a shield hiding our auras, but Finn didn’t have a shield _or _a supernatural aura. Good to know. **> >**_

Cooper and Caitlin stayed to chat with the boys for a little while; eventually they went back upstairs and left the boys to their Regionals strategizing, research organizing, and movie watching.


	13. Chapter 13 (Epilogue)

_**[February – Blaine’s Birthday]** _

Blaine awoke from the pleasant dream he was having, to find his mate nestled between his legs with his mouth wrapped around his achingly hard cock. “Mmm, baby, that feels so good,” he moaned.

_**< <**Happy Birthday! **> >**_ Kurt replied.

“How did you know I wanted to wake up to you giving me a blowjob for my birthday?” Blaine asked.

_**< <**Because you told me last night, you silly boy, **> >**_ he answered.

“Oh, right; I forgot.” Blaine thrusted his hips upward trying to chase the warmth of Kurt’s mouth. “I wish there was a way I could makeout with you while you sucked me off. I want to kiss you. But I don’t want you to stop what you’re doing.”

_**< <**Sorry, honey; that’s not something my magic can fix for you, **> >**_ Kurt told him.

“That’s okay; just keep doing that,” he said, moaning loudly. “Yes, just like that.”

A few minutes later Blaine could feel his orgasm approaching. “Oh, Kurt! I’m…I’m gonna…” Blaine came with a shout, practically melting back into the bed with how boneless he felt. “Mmm, baby, come up here; I need to kiss you,” he said, using his Alpha-voice.

“Yes, Alpha,” Kurt replied, complying with the command. After the kiss broke, Kurt gave Blaine a sly smile. “I take it you liked your birthday present?”

“I _loved_ my birthday present,” he answered. “Thank you, baby.”

“Well, there’s more where that came from,” Kurt told him. “And I mean that as: there are more presents coming your way; not necessarily more sex…though, more sex _is_ available if you want it.”

“I definitely want it,” Blaine replied, just before kissing Kurt again. His stomach growled loudly, breaking the mood. Sighing heavily, he added with a pout, “Maybe after we eat. But I don’t want to get up. Nor do I want to cook.”

“Well, lucky for you, your breakfast is already ready.” Kurt motioned his head to the side of the bed, where there were two TV tray tables set up with platters of food, juice, and coffee. “I prepared that for you before I began the blowjob. My magic has been keeping the food hot and juice cold. So…may I serve you breakfast in bed?”

“Yes, you may,” Blaine replied, smiling.

\---

_**< <**What class are you in right now? French? You don’t have a test today do you? **> >**_ Blaine’s voice sounded inside Kurt’s head as he sat in his classroom silently reading from his textbook.

Kurt’s brain was so focused on the French text in front of him, that he replied to the question in French without thinking. _**< <**_** _Yes, I’m in French. No, I don’t have a test. Why do you ask?** **> >**_

**_< <_** _You know I love it when you speak French to me, **> >**_ Blaine told him. _**< <**And I’m pretty sure you said you don’t have a test, so can you ask to be excused for a few minutes? And meet me in the boys’ bathroom? The one in the Language Arts hallway? **> >**_

**_< <_** _Yeah, hang on, let me ask, **> >**_ Kurt replied. A moment later he added, _**< <**On my way there now. **> >**_

When Blaine saw Kurt walk into the bathroom, he smiled at him, then curled his finger in a ‘come hither’ motion before disappearing into one of the stalls. Kurt followed him into the stall and was immediately pulled into a passionate kiss.

_**< <**Soundproof, shield, and sanitize this stall, **> >**_Blaine Alpha-commanded. As soon as Kurt complied with the order, Blaine continued in his regular voice, “I am _so_ horny right now. _Please_ tell me you are okay with us having sex in this bathroom right now?”

“My body is at your disposal,” he replied, flirtatiously.

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Blaine immediately undid Kurt’s pants and pulled out his cock. He began stroking it in a tight grip, while desperately kissing him, until Kurt was fully hard. Blaine then quickly stepped out of his shoes and hurriedly pulled off his pants and underwear, hanging them on the hook on the stall door. Looking at Kurt he Alpha-commanded, “Pants around your ankles; take a seat on the toilet; lube up your cock. I’m going to ride you.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Kurt rushed to comply with the order. Once he was seated on the toilet, Blaine straddled his lap and started to sink down on his cock.

Blaine threw his head back and moaned loudly as he bottomed out. “Mmm, yes, this is exactly what I needed. Fuck, baby, you feel amazing.” Slowly, he began to move. “Oh, that feels so good. I’m not going to last very long. I had been fingering myself for a while before I asked you to join me. I thought I could wait until I saw you at lunch, but I was just too turned on.”

“Oh god; the image of you fingering yourself at school is so hot,” Kurt moaned.

“I know you need to get back to class, but…” he started, pausing to kiss Kurt’s neck. In his Alpha-voice, he seductively whispered in Kurt’s ear, “I don’t want you to cum.” Kurt looked both shocked and aroused at that order, as he nodded his head in understanding. “Baby, I need you to touch me; jerk me off.”

A moment later, Blaine was cumming all over Kurt’s hand. He remained motionless in Kurt’s lap, trying to catch his breath, as he came down from the high of his orgasm. “That was…incredible,” Blaine said, finally lifting himself off of Kurt. He released Kurt from all – except the ‘do not cum’ – commands, then pulled Kurt up onto his feet, kissing him. Blaine then grabbed a wad of toilet tissue from the dispenser and helped Kurt clean up before cleaning himself up; then he tossed the tissue into toilet and flushed it away. Once that was done, he got redressed.

Giving each other a once-over to make sure they looked presentable before leaving the stall, Blaine made a small gasping sound. “Oh no.”

“What? What’s wrong?” Kurt asked, looking himself over. “Why are you staring at my crotch, saying ‘oh no’?”

“Oddly enough, I actually wasn’t looking at the impressive bulge in your pants,” Blaine replied. “The bottom hem of your blazer. It’s got some of my cum on it. I’m sorry, baby.”

“Oh, is that all,” he said, relieved. “That’s an easy fix.” Kurt waved his hand over the stain, causing it to vanish. “See? All better.”

“Yeah…just don’t go using that magic of yours to make _this_ ,” Blaine cupped Kurt’s – now clothed – erection, gently squeezing it, “vanish. I have plans for that later.” He then kissed Kurt again and exited the stall.

Kurt removed the sound barrier and visibility shield, then followed him out of the stall, before walking over to the sinks to wash his hands and check his appearance in the mirror.

Blaine walked up behind him as Kurt was looking over his reflection. He wrapped his arms around Kurt’s waist and hooked his chin over Kurt’s shoulder. “You look perfect. Not a hair out of place.” He pecked Kurt on the cheek. “Even though I have a free period right now, you don’t. So, you should probably get back to class, before your teacher gets too suspicious. I’ll see you at lunch, beautiful.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you then, birthday boy; can’t wait to find out what kind of plans you have in store for me later,” he replied, playfully, giving Blaine another kiss before heading back to class.

\---

At Warbler rehearsal after school, all of the Warblers serenaded Blaine with their own rendition of _Happy Birthday_. Near the end of rehearsal, Wes made an announcement that auditions for featured singers _and_ dancers for their Regionals performance would be held next week. The council had decided to go with Blaine’s idea of singing ‘ _The Boys Are Back_ ’, while also following Kurt’s suggestion that they highlight some of the more skilled dancers. Blaine was automatically given one of the featured vocals on that song, as well as his own solo song; so the other vocal auditions were for someone that Blaine could sing dual-lead with, as well as auditions for a solo on the third song. The song choices of both Blaine’s solo, and the solo of the yet-to-be-determined singer, had not been finalized yet. Those songs would be chosen after all the auditions had been held.

Finally, Wes dismissed rehearsal, and the room slowly started to clear out. “So…” Kurt began, looking at Blaine, as he packed up his things to leave, “what do you want to do when we get home?”

“You,” Blaine answered, smiling.

Kurt chuckled and shook his head. “Besides me, silly. The boys are coming over, remember? I just wasn’t sure if you wanted to watch movies, play video games, or do something else entirely. Should I prepare food for everyone? Or should we order in? What would you like to do?”

“We can order takeout for dinner; and there’s plenty of ready-made snacks at home that we can just toss on a plate or in a bowl in the meantime,” Blaine answered, as they walked out to the parking lot.

“Well, that answers the food question…” Kurt replied, waiting for Blaine to continue.

“Hmmm…I don’t know,” Blaine told him, just before getting into the passenger seat of Kurt’s car. “I guess play video games? It’s too bad I can’t _play_ with you while we’re hanging out with the pack though.”

“Says who?” Kurt asked, playfully.

Blaine squinted at Kurt in confusion before hesitantly replying, “Says…you?”

“Au contraire, mon cher,” Kurt said. “I have finally spent enough time with them that our pack bond has steeped into my human subconsciousness and is allowing me to think and feel more like a werewolf around them now. Not only do I feel 100% comfortable being completely naked around them for extended periods of time, but I’m actually comfortable enough to let them see us engage in whatever sexual fantasy your dirty mind can come up with. …As long as it’s _just_ the pack that is present at the time; I wouldn’t be comfortable if there were other werewolves or humans around.”

“Really?!” Blaine asked, excitedly.

“Yup,” he replied, nodding. “I _almost_ felt comfortable enough with them seeing us last month at the cabin. And I was _planning_ to let you fuck me in front of them while Nick made breakfast; but as soon as I became fully aroused, I felt like we needed privacy before we could go any further – which is why I put up a shield. Then last week, you were on the phone with Wes, and I really wanted to blow you, so I did. And it wasn’t until afterwards that I realized what I’d done. It actually took me a minute to remember that Wes wasn’t actually in the room with us. That’s when I knew my insecurities about them seeing us were gone.”

“Well, in that case…” Blaine began, flirtatiously, “as soon as we get home, I want you naked for the rest of the night. And I’m just going to play with you, and do whatever I want to you, all night long. Oh, and I know your body hasn’t forgotten my order, but just in case your brain has, you’re still not allowed to cum.”

\---

“Oh my god!” Blaine gasped, as he opened the door to his and Kurt’s apartment. 

“What? What is it?” Kurt asked alarmed, nudging him out of the doorway so he could enter the room.

“There’s a grand piano in our living room,” Blaine told him, walking over to the piano cautiously. He picked up the card that was propped on top of it and silently read it to himself. “It’s from my parents. They bought me a grand piano for my birthday.”

“Well, that explains why your dad told me we couldn’t take the day off from school today,” Kurt said. “He said he didn’t want you to be home when your gift was delivered. I just assumed FedEx was going to drop off a box upstairs, so it didn’t make sense why we couldn’t be here. But I can see how having two naked teenage boys wandering around the place when the delivery guys arrive to set this up might be a bad thing.”

“Speaking of naked…” Blaine said, smirking at his mate. “Why are you still wearing clothes?”

\---

Later in the evening, the pack was watching Jeff and Wes fighting each other in a video game. Blaine had been intently watching the TV and cheering his friends on, while languidly stroking Kurt’s cock in a loose grip, as Kurt cuddled into his side, nuzzling his neck, when Kurt’s phone chimed with an incoming text. Reluctantly, he paused his nuzzling to read the message. Looking up from his phone a moment later, Kurt asked Blaine, “My dad, Carole, and Finn all want to wish you a happy birthday. Also, my dad wants to know: are your parents going to be at your birthday party this weekend? At the bowling alley?”

“Yeah, they’ll be there. Why?” Blaine asked. “And tell them I said ‘thank you’.”

“Would you mind if my dad and Carole came?” Kurt replied. “They both have the day off and wanted to come down to see me and wish you a happy birthday in person.”

“I don’t have any problems with that,” Blaine told him. “And I think my parents would actually be grateful for their presence. I mean, most of the Warblers are going to be there, plus a few of your old glee friends as well. So that’s, like, twenty-some-odd highschoolers? And my parents are going to be the only adults there. Well, except for Trent’s parents, but they own the place and will actually be working during the party, so it’s not really the same thing. I’m sure my parents will enjoy having people around their own age to talk to – and to help wrangle a group of rambunctious highschool kids.”

“I’ll let them know,” Kurt said, already typing out a reply.

“Oh, hey, speaking of Carole…” Nick began, looking over at Blaine and Kurt. “Did you guys ever find out if she is an empath or not?”

“We did,” Kurt answered, nodding. “And she is. When my family came down for dinner a couple weeks ago, I performed an Identification Spell; only, I tweaked the spell a little, so that only _I_ could see the results. I didn’t want to freak her out, or cause my dad to say something, if she indeed had an empath’s aura. I could tell as soon as she passed through the spell that she was an empath. Not only because of the bright pink aura around her, but because she visibly reacted to the magic. It was like she got a cold chill as soon as she crossed the threshold where the spell was, then she turned and stared at it for a moment like she was trying to figure out what happened.”

“And you believe that she has no idea what she is?” Wes checked, not taking his eyes off the TV screen.

“It _appears_ that way,” Kurt said, shrugging. “But, then again, she could just be keeping it a secret because she doesn’t know what _we_ are; and/or she doesn’t want to out herself like that.”

“So, uh, since you mentioned that some of New Directions are coming to your party,” David began, “can I ask…does that include Rachel?”

“As far as I know, she won’t be there,” Blaine replied. “I didn’t invite her. And Finn told us that they broke up a few days after her New Year’s party. She just wouldn’t drop her suspicions about me and my relationship with Kurt. They had a couple of fights about it. But Finn said the final straw was when she told Burt that he should _force_ Kurt to move back home because I am a pathological liar, I’m emotionally unstable, I’m a bad influence, and I don’t actually care about Kurt at all. And since Burt knows _exactly_ what we are, why we _need_ to live together, and just how important Kurt is to me, he wasn’t too happy with Rachel’s accusations. I guess when he tried to speak to her rationally – explain that she was taking things out of context and looking at things from the wrong perspective – she got upset with him and told him that I’d brainwashed him into thinking that about me; that _Burt_ was the one looking at things from the wrong perspective. So Finn broke up with her.”

“I can’t believe she would challenge Kurt’s father like that,” Jeff said, handing off his controller to Nick, after losing to Wes. “It’s a good thing Burt can’t use his magic, or she might have ‘accidentally’ burst into flames. Or, at least, I know if I could use magic, I’d have a hard time from refraining from doing that if someone was talking smack about my family to my face.”

“My dad actually can use his magic,” Kurt said, causing everyone to look at him in shock. “In really, really small, practically unnoticeable ways; but he does use it. Obviously, he couldn’t set Rachel on fire – nor would he want to. Wes’s dad told us that my dad had enough free magic to do extremely simplistic, inconspicuous tasks. And I realized that my dad actually uses his magic all the time. At his garage. His magic helps him figure out what is wrong with the cars, and what the best, most efficient way to fix it is. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it because he’s a trained mechanic. It’s his job to know those things. But every once in a while, a car comes in that he needs a little _extra_ help with diagnosing. His magic alerts him to the problem and its solution. I’ve seen it firsthand so many times; but I always just took it for granted that my dad figured it out when none of the other guys at his shop could because he’s the best. Now I know part of it _is_ skill, but part of it is _also_ magic.”

“That actually makes a lot of sense,” Trent agreed. “It’s completely unnoticeable, yet minor enough to not require more than a few drops of magic; plus, he’s not actively _trying_ to use his magic.”

“Okay, let me rephrase,” Jeff said. “It’s a good thing that your dad’s magic isn’t strong enough to make Rachel spontaneously combust; otherwise she might be in the hospital burn ward right now.”

“As much fun as that sounds, I’m pretty sure my dad would never do that,” Kurt said. “I mean, my magic _is_ strong enough to do that to her, and not even I would do that. I do, however, enjoy dreaming up different scenarios where I get a little magical revenge – like giving her temporary laryngitis or making her trip over her own feet during Regionals – but I unfortunately was raised with a strong sense of morals, so they must remain dreams. I won’t use my magic to inflict pain on anyone. And besides, I want the Warblers to win Regionals because we’re better, not because we had an unfair advantage.”

“You’re a better man than most,” Jeff muttered, bitterly while shaking his head.

“Well, either way, I’m glad she won’t be there this weekend,” David said. “I think I’d probably give her a verbal lashing; maybe even show off my fangs to instill a little fear. No one would believe her. In fact, if she mentioned my fangs to anyone, they’d probably accuse her of being racist or something. So it’s a win-win.”

Kurt laughed. “Except then you’d have to listen to her shriek about how she can’t possibly be racist because one of her dads is black,” he told him. “And I’m pretty sure she won’t be there. She knows she’s not invited. And so does everyone that _is_ invited. But Finn did just tell me yesterday that he’s been thinking about getting back together with her. He said she apologized to him last week, and she hasn’t said one bad word about me or Blaine since then. He still hasn’t forgiven her or taken her back yet. But he’s considering it. And knowing Rachel, her showing up to the party and ‘playing nice’ will be her way of attempting to tip the scales in her favor – show Finn that she meant her apology or whatever. So who knows.”

“Considering that my parents own the bowling alley,” Trent began, with a mischievous grin, “I can have her removed and/or barred from entering if she does show up. So I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”

\---

Saturday afternoon, Burt and Carole met up with Kurt and Blaine’s family at the Anderson’s house before the party; Finn would be carpooling with some of the other glee kids a little later. Knowing there was going to be a few non-pack werewolves present – some of which may be able to recognize the scent of magic – Kurt very subtly cast an enchantment on his father’s wedding ring that would reduce the scent by almost 95%, so it wouldn’t be as obvious that Burt was a warlock. It was the best that he could do, since there was no way to completely eliminate the scent, but it helped enormously; and with the lingering scent of motor oil on Burt that never fully disappeared, the scent of his magic was a lot harder to detect.

_**< <**I can’t believe you were able to use magic to hide the scent of magic, **> >**_ Blaine told Kurt as they drove to the bowling alley with Kurt’s family. _**< <**I’m not used to your dad’s scent like this. It’s weird. But at the same time, I think I actually prefer it. **> >**_

**_< <_** _I know what you mean, **> >**_ Kurt agreed. _**< <**It’s odd; yet, I feel more comfortable this way. And most of the magic that you can still smell on him is the enchantment. As long as he keeps that ring on – which, let’s be honest, he’s not going to take that thing off – I don’t think anyone will pick up on his actual scent. And if they do happen to smell magic on him, most likely they’ll think it’s the ring and not him; so I think we’re good as far as keeping my secret goes; especially since any werewolf that will be there that doesn’t already know I’m a hybrid has been told the same thing as your brother, about why I have a human family. **> >**_

\---

The party was in full swing; people were bowling, playing arcade games, eating way too much food, and just generally enjoying themselves. Kurt sat on a bench eating a slice pizza, while Blaine took his turn bowling, when Sam came over and sat down next to him. “Man, your friends are so much fun to hang out with. And the fact that I don’t have to pretend or watch what I say around them, it makes me want to hang out with you guys even more.”

“Are there no kids your own age in your pack?” Kurt asked.

“Nope,” Sam replied, shaking his head. “Other than my little brother and sister, the person closest to my age is 24 years old. And even if there were others my age, none of them live in Lima. There are so little of us that live in that part of Ohio; I mean, not including my family, there’s only five others in the pack. And we come from four different towns too; we all travel to the Alpha’s hometown on a full moon.”

“That’s gotta be rough,” Kurt said.

Blaine walked over and took a seat on the other side of Kurt. He looked over at Sam and said, “If you lived closer to Westerville, I’d suggest you join my pack instead. We’d love to have to have you. But a two-hour commute by car on a full moon, on days that you have school and glee club practice…that’d be cutting it a little too close. Plus, I like having everyone close by in case I need them for something, you know? But you are more than welcome to come hang out with us anytime you want. Spring Break, Summer Vacation, or even just a regular weekend…take a few days off and come hang out with all of us at our house or cabin.”

“Cabin?” Sam asked, confused.

“I own a campsite here in Westerville; it’s out in the woods with a few acres of land and few cabins on it,” Blaine replied, nodding. “It’s private property and it’s secluded; so there’s no chance of accidentally being _seen_. There’s a pond, plenty of wildlife, a firepit…the cabin even has electricity, running water, and it’s close enough to a cell tower to get a strong phone signal too. It’s where my pack meets up every full moon. But we sometimes hang out there just for fun during vacations too, if it’s nice weather.”

“Dude! That sounds _awesome_!” Sam said. “If I lived a little closer, and didn’t have to look after my little siblings during the full moons, I would totally take you up on that offer to join your pack. But you can bet I’ll come down here and visit whenever possible. Thanks, man!”

“No problem,” Blaine told him. “Hey, if you don’t need to go back to Lima right away, come back to our house with us. My pack is sleeping over tonight. You could join us. And we can show you the campsite, if you want.”

“I would, but I got a ride here with Mike,” Sam said, looking disappointed.

“I can give you a ride home tomorrow,” Kurt suggested.

“Really?” he asked. “Alright, yeah, that sounds awesome! I’ll let my parents know.”

\---

Mike approached Blaine, who was cheering on Jeff as he played one of the arcade games. “Blaine, this party is so much fun. I know we’re technically your competition and all, but… Thanks for inviting all of us.”

Blaine looked away from the game to smile at Mike. “No problem. You’re all Kurt’s friends; and I enjoyed hanging out with you guys after Sectionals and at New Year’s. I know Kurt really misses you guys. Any opportunity for me to get to know you better – while simultaneously putting a smile on Kurt’s face – is worth it.”

“You really care about Kurt, don’t you?” Mike asked.

“Yeah, I do,” he said, nodding. “I love him.”

“Good. I’m glad. He deserves to have someone that cares about him as much as you do.” Mike looked across the room, where Kurt was competing against Nick in a game of Dance Dance Revolution, and smiled sadly. “He seems so much happier than I remember him being. The Warblers seem like they’ve become really good friends to him too. Seeing how comfortable and happy he looks around them…it makes me feel sort of guilty. I think I just realized that the guys in New Directions…we were never really great friends to him.”

“Why do you say that?” Blaine wondered.

“We often would have a guy’s night – where all of us New Directions boys would get together to watch a game on TV, play video games, just hang out at someone’s house, or maybe we’d go someplace. Kurt never came to any of them. Not even the ones in his own home,” Mike told him. “I never thought much about it. Just sort of figured that he wasn’t into the stuff we were doing. But since I’ve arrived at this party, I’ve seen him playing all sorts of arcade games, bowling, joking around with everyone, talking, laughing…just having fun hanging out with everyone here. It made me think…these are the types of things we’d do on our guy’s nights; so why did he never want to come to any of them? Why was it so rare for him to hang out with us outside of glee? And I realized…we never invited him. All of us just assumed he wouldn’t enjoy the things we were doing; that he wasn’t interested in any of it, or that he’d much rather hang out with the girls than us, so we never bothered asking him to join us. We should have asked him. But we didn’t.”

“Well,” Blaine started, “there’s nothing you can do to change the past. But you can take what you’ve learned and use that information to make better choices in the future. And don’t beat yourself up about it too much either. I know from experience that Kurt can be very guarded about a lot of things. It takes time and effort to get him to open up to people. And in an environment like McKinley, that’s not exactly an easy task to accomplish. Dalton’s policies allow him to lower some of those shields he uses to protect himself.”

“I suppose. I’m just disappointed that we couldn’t do more for him at our school; nor did we try hard enough,” Mike said. “But I’m relieved that he’s now at a school where he is both safe and happy. And as much as we all miss him in New Directions, I think being a Warbler is better for him.”

\---

The bowling alley had a few rooms off to the side that were reserved for parties. A small karaoke machine was set up in the one they were using, so while Blaine opened his birthday gifts and everyone ate cake, a few people took turns singing songs.

“I am so glad Rachel is not here for this,” Mercedes murmured into Kurt’s ear, as one of the Warblers sang. “She’d be hogging that microphone and not letting anyone else have a turn. Either that or she’d be taking notes whenever a Warbler sang, so she could somehow try to use it against you guys at Regionals.”

Kurt chuckled as he nodded in agreement. “I’m actually a little surprised she didn’t try to weasel her way into one of the carpools to come here with you guys.”

“Actually, she asked if me if I could give her a ride,” Mercedes told him. “But I told her Mike was driving me, Tina, and Sam here.”

“She doesn’t give up, does she?” he replied.

Tina, who was walking behind them after getting a refill on her drink, heard them and added, “Did you know, after you told her that, she went and asked Mike if there was room in his car for her? Mike told her that if she really wanted to impress Finn – and prove that she was sorry – that she’d respect Blaine’s wishes and not show up. It took a little convincing, but she finally agreed. Although, she did ask us to deliver a birthday gift she bought for Blaine for her – in hopes of making amends. We figured, it was harmless enough.”

“Speaking of birthday gifts…” Kurt said, watching as the Warbler that was singing finished up his song. “Excuse me for a moment.” Kurt got up and walked over to the karaoke machine.

As Kurt scrolled through the songs to find the one that he was looking for he told the group, “This song is dedicated to the birthday boy.” A few of the Warblers wolf-whistled at the dedication. “Shut up,” he said, facetiously, rolling his eyes and laughing at them. 

“Are you gonna give him another lap dance?” Jamal, one of the Warblers asked, laughing and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“Wanky!” Santana shouted, smirking.

Kurt buried his face in his hands before glaring at Jamal. “You realize both mine and Blaine’s _parents_ are in this room right now?”

Jamal’s face went ashen as his jaw dropped and his eyes widened in fear.

Pam quirked an eyebrow at Kurt. “Oh, sweetie, please, a lap dance is _nothing_ compared to some of the things I’ve heard you two doing.”

David turned around to Pam and gave her a high five. “Amen!”

Blaine stifled a giggle as Kurt’s face got even more red. “You’re not helping, Pam,” Kurt growled out, glaring at her. “Anyway! If you all are done embarrassing me, I’m gonna hit play now.” He pressed play on the karaoke machine, and the beginning notes of Savage Garden’s song _‘I Knew I Loved You’_ began to play.

As Kurt sang the song, he kept his eyes directly on Blaine the whole time. Blaine eyes began to fill with tears while listening to Kurt sing. He could feel the truth behind the lyrics and the emotion that Kurt was putting into it. When the song ended Kurt sauntered over to Blaine, who latched onto him, pulling Kurt into his lap, then burying his face in Kurt’s chest as he cried.

_**< <**Thank you, baby. That was so beautiful. I love you so much, **> >**_ Blaine told him, overcome with emotions rendering him unable to speak.

“Dude. Are you seriously crying?” Puck asked.

Blaine lifted his face off of Kurt and turned toward Puck. He wiped his eyes and sniffled a few times before answering, “Kurt has the most angelic voice I’ve ever heard, and he was singing a gorgeous love song to me for my birthday. Sorry if I got a little emotional. But seriously, how are you not _moved_ by that?”

Puck rolled his eyes as he shrugged, trying to discreetly wipe away his own tears.

Blaine continued to hold Kurt in his lap while their friends took turns singing. As the party started to wind down, Jeff suggested that Blaine get up to sing. “Oh, come on! It’s your party. You _have_ to close out the karaoke.”

Cheers of agreement chorused throughout the room. “Alright, alright,” Blaine replied, giving in.

“Just don’t sing a sappy love song!” David called out. “We want to hear something fun and upbeat.”

Blaine smirked at him. “Okay. Fine. But I’m still dedicating this song to Kurt.” He gave Kurt a quick kiss on his cheek, scooped Kurt up in his arms as he stood, then placed Kurt back in the chair he’d just vacated before going over to the karaoke machine to queue up his song. “One Blaine Anderson Special coming right up,” he announced as he hit play.

_‘Your Love Is My Drug’_ by Ke$ha began to play, and Blaine bounced around the room singing at the top of his lungs. Kurt had a giant smile on his face as he tried desperately not to laugh at Blaine. When the song ended, Blaine practically skipped his way over to Kurt then casually seated himself in Kurt’s lap. “So…?” Blaine asked, looking for feedback.

“You are a gigantic dork; and I can’t believe that I’m actually attracted to you,” Kurt replied, smiling.

“No, I already knew that,” Blaine said, waving off Kurt’s reply. “I wanted an answer to the question in the song. _‘Do you wanna have a slumber party in my basement’_?” He sang the lyrics while wiggling his eyebrows at Kurt.

Kurt cracked up laughing. “Hmm…considering that’s where _my bed_ is…and the fact that a bunch of the guys in this room are coming back to the house with us to do exactly that…I’m gonna go with ‘yes’.”

Blaine pumped his fist in the air in victory while quietly cheering, “Yes!”

\---

The party came to an end, and people began to head home. Blaine’s pack, his parents, and Kurt’s parents all stayed to help clean up. Before Finn could leave, Blaine pulled him aside. “Look, Finn, I know that things between you and Rachel are sort of up in the air at the moment. And I know that you’ve been thinking about getting back together with her. I just wanted to say: if your heart is telling you to be with her, then don’t let mine, or Kurt’s, or anyone’s opinions sway your decision. Do what’s best for you; what _you_ feel is right. In the meantime, if you could give her a message for me, I’d really appreciate it. Tell her: I am very thankful for the birthday gift she sent me. It was very thoughtful of her. I also really appreciate that she didn’t try to crash the party. And I hope one day that she can see past the Dalton uniform and treat Kurt – and me – like a friend again.”

“Thanks, man,” Finn replied.

\---

_**[March – Regionals]** _

The Warblers were backstage getting ready to begin their Regionals performance. Aural Intensity had just performed a rather bizarre set of songs and choreography that seemed to be a poor attempt at pandering to the judges. The Warblers were confident their routine would outshine theirs by miles.

Blaine squinted at Kurt with a puzzled look on his face as Kurt wrung his hands together. “Are you nervous?” he asked.

“I’ve never had a competition solo before,” Kurt told him, biting his bottom lip anxiously. “What if I screw it up?”

“Oh my god, you are so adorable!” Blaine cooed. “Honey, you’re not going to screw this up. You know this song backwards and forwards. You’ve practiced signing this song over and over until your hands started cramping – even though you are practically fluent in ASL and didn’t need that much rehearsal. Trust me, you’ll do fine. Besides, I happen to know for a fact that you _have_ had a competition solo before – when you were a cheerleader – and that _you_ are the reason they took home first place in _Nationals_. So, don’t give me that. But, if it helps, just don’t think of this as a competition. Think of it as performing for fun – or for bragging rights.”

“I never should have shown you those YouTube videos,” Kurt muttered under his breath. He took a deep breath, then continued, “Okay. Okay, I can do this. I can do this.”

Blaine gave Kurt a quick kiss on the cheek for luck, while Wes motioned everyone onto the stage. The Warblers took their spots behind the curtain just before the emcee announced them. The group had decided that they didn’t want Kurt to just stand center stage unmoving while he sang, so Kurt’s ‘choreography’ for this song would be to interpret it using sign language. The curtain rose, and Kurt stepped forward while the Warblers began the harmonies and simple step-touch choreography.

_Under a lovers' sky_  
_Gonna be with you_  
_And no one's gonna be around_  
_If you think that you won't fall_  
_Well just wait until_  
_‘Til the sun goes down_

_Underneath the starlight, starlight_  
_There's a magical feeling, so right_  
_It'll steal your heart tonight_

_You can try to resist_  
_Try to hide from my kiss_  
_But you know_  
_But you know that you can't fight the moonlight_  
_Deep in the dark_  
_You'll surrender your heart_  
_But you know_  
_But you know that you can't fight the moonlight_  
_No, you can't fight it_  
_It's gonna get to your heart_

_There's no escape from love_  
_Once a gentle breeze_  
_Weaves its spell upon your heart_  
_No matter what you think_  
_It won't be too long_  
_‘Til you’re in my arms_

_Underneath the starlight, starlight_  
_We'll be lost in the rhythm, so right_  
_Feel it steal your heart tonight_

_You can try to resist_  
_Try to hide from my kiss_  
_But you know_  
_But you know that you can't fight the moonlight_  
_Deep in the dark_  
_You'll surrender your heart_  
_But you know_  
_But you know that you can't fight the moonlight_  
_No, you can't fight it_  
_No matter what you do_  
_The night is gonna get to you_

_Don't try then_  
_You're never gonna win_

_Underneath the starlight, starlight_  
_There's a magical feeling, so right_  
_It will steal your heart tonight_

_You can try to resist_  
_Try to hide from my kiss_  
_But you know_  
_But you know that you can't fight the moonlight_  
_Deep in the dark_  
_You'll surrender your heart_  
_But you know_  
_But you know that you can't fight the moonlight_  
_No, you can't fight it_

_You can try to resist my kiss_  
_But you know_  
_Don't you know that you can't_  
_Can't fight the moonlight_  
_Deep in the dark_  
_You'll surrender your heart_  
_But you know_  
_But you know that you can't fight the moonlight_  
_No, you can't fight it_  
_It's gonna get to your heart_

 

As soon as the song ended the audience was on their feet cheering and clapping louder than Kurt had ever heard them at any other glee competition he’d been to. He stepped back in line with all the other boys with a giant smile on his face, while trying to catch his breath for the next song.

_**< <**Great job, baby! That was incredible! You killed it! **> >**_ Blaine praised him, as he stepped forward for his own solo. He gave the signal to other boys to start the song then began singing ‘ _Raise Your Glass_ ’. Once again, the audience was on their feet, cheering and clapping; this time, before the song was even over. Blaine played it up, encouraging them to cheer louder, while maintaining focus on his vocal performance and choreography – hitting all the right notes and dance steps.

The song ended, and Nick stepped forward next to Blaine. The rest of the Warblers stood in place behind them, bopping their heads as Blaine and Nick began to sing.

**Blaine:**  
_Take it back to the place where you know it all began_  
**Nick:**  
_We could be anything we wanna be_  
**Blaine:**  
_You can tell by the noise that the boys are back again_  
**Nick:**  
_Together making history_

 

The two of them stepped back into formation, and David and Jeff stepped forward to kick off the featured choreography while also singing the next couple of lines.

 

**David & Jeff:**  
_It's time to show how_  
**Jeff:**  
_To be a superhero_  
**David & Jeff:**  
_Just like a showdown_  
**David:**  
_Will Smith and Bobby De Niro_  
**David & Jeff:**  
_We're the best, no doubt_  
**Jeff:**  
_Doing it like we used to do_  
**David & Jeff:**  
_This is our time_  
**David:**  
_And I'm telling you all_

 

They split off – one on each side of the stage – and two other dancers split from the middle; one of them joined David, the other joined Jeff, and they began doing even more complex choreography. Blaine and Nick took center stage again.

 

**Blaine & Nick:**  
_The boys are back, the boys are back_  
_The boys are back, gonna do it again_  
_Gonna wake up the neighborhood_  
_The boys are back, the boys are back_  
_Climbing up the walls anytime we want_  
_The word is out, the boys are back_  
_The boys are back, back to save the day_  
_The boys are back, oh yeah_  
**Blaine:**  
_Keep coming with the right, win the fight every single time_  
**Nick:**  
_Undefeated here in our house, yeah_  
**Blaine:**  
_We can rock, we can shock, anytime we like_  
**Nick:**  
_And tonight we're going all out_

 

Trent and Thad stepped forward, as Nick and Blaine stepped back into formation.

 

**Trent & Thad:**  
_It's time to show how_  
**Trent:**  
_To be a superhero_  
**Trent & Thad:**  
_Just like a showdown_  
**Thad:**  
_Keep the pedal to the metal – Go!_  
**Trent & Thad:**  
_We're the best, no doubt_  
**Trent:**  
_Doing it like we used to do_  
**Trent & Thad:**  
_This is our time_  
**Thad:**  
_And I'm telling you all_

 

Blaine jumped forward between the two of them.

 

**Blaine:**  
_Lookout!_

Trent and Thad rejoined the rest of the Warblers, while Nick came forward, next to Blaine.

 

**Blaine & Nick:**  
_The boys are back, the boys are back_  
_The boys are back, gonna do it again_  
_Gonna wake up the neighborhood_  
_The boys are back, the boys are back_  
_Climbing up the walls anytime we want_  
_The word is out, the boys are back_  
**Blaine:**  
_Here to change the world_  
**Blaine & Nick:**  
_To solve the mystery, fight the battle_  
**Nick:**  
_Save the girl_  
**Blaine & Nick:**  
_No one can stop us now_  
_We're the ones that make the rules, oh_

 

David, Jeff, the two other featured dancers, and four additional Warblers took center stage for the ‘instrumental’/dance break. David and Jeff lead the group, standing front and center, in front of the dancers and all of the other Warblers. At one point, Kurt and Blaine joined the dancers in the middle of the stage so Kurt could do a jumping split over Blaine’s head. After that, Kurt quickly faded into the background with the rest of the Warblers. A few of the dancers then circled Blaine and basket-tossed him into the air, where he did a toe-touching split. Once back on the ground, he hurried into the background with the remaining Warblers, who were behind them doing simple stomp and clap moves – similar to what they’d been doing for most of the song. At the end of the dance break, the four new dancers retreated back into formation, while David, Jeff and the other two dancers went back to opposite ends of the stage again. Then Blaine, Nick, Trent, and Thad all stepped forward together.

 

**Blaine, Nick, Trent, & Thad:**  
_The boys are back_  
_Oh yeah_  
_The boys are back, the boys are back_  
_The boys are back, gonna do it again_  
_Gonna wake up the neighborhood_  
_The boys are back, the boys are back_  
_Climbing up the walls anytime we want_  
**Blaine:**  
_No need to worry_  
**Blaine, Nick, Trent, & Thad:**  
_'Cause the boys are back, the boys are back_  
_The boys are back, gonna do it again_  
**Nick:**  
_And we make it look good_  
**Blaine, Nick, Trent, & Thad:**  
_The boys are back, the boys are back_  
_Tearing down the walls, anytime we want_  
_I'm sure that you know by now_

Everyone – including the dancers – did a choreographed scramble to get back in formation, except for Blaine who remained out front, spreading his arms out wide, gesturing to all the boys on stage.

**Blaine:**  
_The boys are back_

 

The crowd went crazy; clapping, cheering, and screaming. The Warblers took a bow and ran off stage excitedly. “Holy crap! That was amazing!” David cheered, once they were all backstage. “I have never seen an audience react like that before.”

“Did you hear how loud it got when you and Jeff switched places by doing those handsprings across the whole stage?” Trent asked, amazed.

“I still can’t believe we pulled that off,” Jeff replied, in disbelief. “I thought for sure we were gonna collide into each other. Either that or I was gonna land on my face.”

“Guys, guys,” Wes called out, getting everyone’s attention. “We need to get back to our seats, so New Directions can take the stage. But for what it’s worth: I’m proud of all of you. Every single one of you nailed your performance – vocally as well as visually. If we don’t win, at least we know we put up a hell of a fight. Come on, let’s go.”

\---

The Warblers watched from their seats as the New directions began their routine. When the curtain opened, Rachel stood alone on the stage. She sang ‘ _Save The Best For Last_ ’ by Vanessa Williams. She didn’t move from the center of the stage as she sang; and her performance was full of overdramatic hand movements and a too-bright smile.

Some of the Warblers looked impressed by her voice; but Blaine’s pack all looked confused as Rachel just stood there by herself. About halfway through the song, Blaine subtly tapped Kurt on the thigh. _**< <**Where’s the rest of the choir? **> >**_ he asked Kurt. _**< <**Shouldn’t everyone else be up there too? And why is she just standing there? Shouldn’t she be dancing? Or at least moving around the stage? You were at least doing sign language during your solo; so it made sense not to move around too much – and you still moved around more than she is. **> >**_

**_< <_** _I have no idea what’s going on. New Directions usually joins her on stage by now. Even if it’s just swaying and harmonizing little ‘oohs’ in the background, **> >**_ Kurt told him. _**< <**I know she likes to hog the spotlight, but I can’t believe the rest of the group would agree to _this _. **> >**_

The audience remained seated as they clapped when the song ended, and the rest of New Directions ran on stage to take their spots. Rachel then addressed the crowd, introducing the group to everyone again. The music of their next song started, and Finn spun around to face the crowd, snapping his fingers to the beat before he started singing the opening of their duet – ‘ _Opposites Attract_ ’ by Paula Abdul.

_**< <**Oh my god, why are they letting Finn _rap _?! **> >**_ Kurt exclaimed.

_**< <**Well, at least he’s not rapping the whole song; just a little at the beginning, **> >**_ Blaine said, attempting to reassure him. _**< <**And he doesn’t sound _that _bad. **> >**_

**_< <_** _Yeah, I guess, **> >**_ he agreed. _**< <**It’s still weird though. **> >**_

The audience seemed to enjoy the duet more than Rachel’s solo. Blaine could see a few people on their feet clapping along and dancing in place. But their reactions weren’t nearly as enthusiastic as the ones the Warblers received.

New Directions transitioned from their duet into their group number with barely any pause between the two. Once again, Rachel was in front of everyone as she took lead vocals on ‘ _Party In The U.S.A._ ’ by Miley Cyrus.

Finally, the audience seemed to really get into the music, standing up and dancing in place, as they cheered the New Directions on.

_**< <**Shall we? **> >**_ Blaine asked, motioning to the standing people around them. Kurt nodded in reply, so Blaine signaled to the Warblers to stand and cheer with the crowd.

When the performance ended, the New Directions hurried off stage, and the Warblers scurried out of the auditorium to return backstage. They saw the New Directions in the hallway as each group tried to make their way back to their respective greenrooms. Finn broke away from the group to run up to Kurt and give him a bear hug, lifting him off the ground.

“Dude! Your performance rocked!” Finn told him. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a solo?”

Kurt laughed at his brother’s antics. “Put me down, Finn!” Once Kurt was back on his feet, he continued, “And I couldn’t tell you. We agreed: no glee talk, remember? I had to keep it a secret, so no one could be accused of spying, or cheating, or anything like that.”

“Oh, right,” he agreed. “But you sounded awesome! You were _so_ good.”

“Thank you, Finn. I appreciate that,” Kurt replied.

“You guys kicked ass out there,” Sam added, coming over to the group. “I think you guys might actually beat us. I mean, my jaw hit the _floor_ when you guys started doing those spinning kick things, and backflips, and stuff. That was insane! You guys had an _awesome_ set list too.” He looked straight at Kurt and added, “I especially liked your solo. Nice touch with the sign language too.”

“Thank you!” Kurt replied, smirking. “You guys both sounded great too. Though, I have to say, I was a little surprised to hear Finn _rapping_.”

Finn groaned when he heard that. “Ugh, thank god I didn’t have to rap for the whole song though. But I think I did okay, right?”

Kurt smiled and nodded. “You did.”

Mr. Schue walked over and told Finn and Sam that they needed to get back to their greenroom, so they said their goodbyes and parted ways. The Warblers then went back to their own greenroom to wait for the judges to finish voting.

\---

All three show choirs stood on stage waiting for the winner to be announced. The Lieutenant Governor’s wife was introduced to read the judges’ decision. The woman made a quip about being drunk, bored, and wanting to cut to the chase to see who won, before opening the first-place envelope. In a monotone voice, she announced, “And the winner is: Dalton Academy Warblers. You’re going to Nationals in New York. Woo.” She then crossed to the side of the stage while the Warblers celebrated, and their trophy was brought out to them.

The Warblers erupted into cheers, jumping around, hugging each other, and giving everyone high fives. Aural Intensity seemed shocked, sending angry glares at Sue Sylvester – who for some reason had been given the job as their replacement coach, even though she was a McKinley faculty member. Sue looked furious. She stared down the woman who read the winner, then pushed up her sleeves as though getting ready for a fight; but hesitated when she noticed the heartbroken looks on the faces of everyone in New Directions. Instead, she smirked and crossed the stage to where the Warblers were standing and offered Kurt a handshake. “Good job, Porcelain. I would have preferred destroying those insufferable glee kids myself, but I’ll take this loss; even if you did steal some of my Cheerios’ moves to secure your win,” Sue told him.

Kurt rolled his eyes, but before he could reply, Rachel let out a loud, shrieking scream while stomping her feet. Everyone on stage froze in shock and stared at her. “I demand a recount! There is no way they were better than me! That trophy should be _mine_!”

“Last I checked, you weren’t the only person in that glee club,” Kurt told her. “And maybe, the fact that you seem to think you are, is the reason you lost.”

Rachel screamed again then ran off stage in tears. The rest of the New Directions looked unsure if they should follow her or remain on stage. Finn took a deep breath and walked up to Kurt, holding out his fist for a fist bump. “You were amazing, little brother. You deserve that trophy,” he said, earnestly.

“Thanks, Finn,” Kurt replied, then hugged his brother. As soon as he released the hug, Finn gave him a nod, then left the stage to find Rachel.

One-by-one, the rest of the New Directions came over to offer their somber congratulations before leaving the stage. The Warblers then returned to their greenroom with their first-place trophy to pack up their things before boarding the bus home.

“Hey guys!” David called out to the group when they entered their greenroom. “Why is everyone so quiet? We just won Regionals! We’re going to Nationals in New York! Let’s _celebrate_!”

The Warblers burst into cheers, reclaiming the joy they felt on stage when their name was called. After a moment of cheers and congratulating each other, Blaine addressed the group, “Hey! The faster we can pack up, the faster we can get back to Westerville,” he reminded everyone. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to party!”

The group of boys quickly tossed their things together and hurried out to the bus while singing ‘ _We Are The Champions_ ’.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end! Thanks for reading everyone! I'm going to close out the series for now, but if sometime in the future I happen to get inspired, I'll re-open it; in the meantime, it's been fun. I've really appreciated everyone's support with this crazy story of mine; I can't say thank you enough for all the kind words you've given me. *mwah*

**Author's Note:**

> (Copy & Paste from A/N I just added to the end of "Mirrors")  
> I'm not sure if anyone cares, but I got bored and made a rough sketch of what I envisioned the basement apartment where Kurt & Blaine live to look like. Click [HERE](https://kiwiwritesstuff.tumblr.com/image/181897337907) too see it.


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